Hero
by Zaney HacknSlash
Summary: Years after the Hero of Time saves Hyrule from Ganondorf, his son, Shane, a country boy renowned for his cowardice must go on his own quest to save the Kingdom and his sister. Names: Sage of Time
1. Chapter 1

The Legend of Zelda:

HERO

Chapter One: Thieves

The sky was such a perfect, flawless blue that, with such lazy frosty clouds that it made Shane feel drowsy and peaceful. Over his head he could see the birds drifting and flapping on the thermals, their eerie cries piercing the otherwise perfect silence. The sun was setting but it was still warm on his shoulders. He turned from brushing Epona and watched the fiery orb sink beyond Death Mountain. He shivered a little. It would be dark soon, and beyond the sturdy gates of Lon Lon Ranch monsters would start to move, marauding the land and killing anything too stupid to have found shelter, including any people. 

His father's horse nickered and nuzzled Shane on the shoulder, demanding attention again. Hurriedly, the teenager turned back to her, speaking softly and running the brush over her soft coat. She was old, her muzzle graying, her back beginning to sway just a little, but for the most part she was still glossy and strong and smart. He sang quietly to her. The horse was quiet then, standing perfectly still and listening to his voice. Shane was a quiet, gentle young man whom most of the horses trusted and loved. There were very few that he'd had difficulty getting to know, and they were the wild ones his father had ventured out into far lands to capture from the wild. Not like Darkness, the horse Shane had been given for his fourteenth birthday. Darkness was the one Colt Epona had birthed. He was a huge, crazed, black stallion with only a small, white star on his forehead. After months of hard work, Shane had finally broken the stallion, without assistance from anyone. He felt it was, perhaps, the bravest thing he'd ever done in his life.

Now he finished up with Epona, patting the old mare on the flanks as he tucked the brushes away and walked around her, careful not to get kicked. He went to Darkness and stroked his soft, silky nose, looked into his black eyes and whispered soothingly. The horse didn't even make a sound as Shane took his rope and led both horses into the stable. When he'd fed both Darkness and Epona, as well as the other three horses in the stable, Starlight, Wind Walker and Mudora, he turned to look out over the ranch. 

Lon Lon was a large expanse of grassy meadow with a large dirt track for training the horses. There were a few cows on the far side of the ranch, lowing softly as the night came upon them. Satisfied that everything was all right, Shane went into the chicken coop to collect eggs one last time. 

As soon as he was through the door, a tremendous, fearful noise greeted him, like the battle cry of the Goron warriors. It startled the young man so bad he stumbled back and almost fell into a pile of straw. His foot nudged against something soft and he spun around wildly.

Laying at his feet was a short, fat man with a bulbous nose, rosy cheeks and small tufts of white hair around his head. The top of it was shining bald. Near his left hand was a half-drained jug of milk. Shane chuckled. "Grandfather…so this is where you've been." 

Shane stepped over Talon and went to check the cuckoos for eggs. He found one and turned to leave his grandfather sleeping in the hay. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed movement, a dark creature taking shape in the shadows. The boy clenched his fists, but he didn't feel at all qualified to actually use them.

Out of the darkness slid a tall, willowy girl, with long, straight, golden blond hair. There was a crown of flowers on her head and her long ears were adorned with gold rings. Her eyes were flawless, deep azure, like his own and her skin was silky, and white. Her lips were very full and red, pulled into a permanent smile. She was dressed in a long, white dress that was made of simple fabric and wore soft, brown leather boots on her feet. She smiled at him, flashing perfectly white teeth, giggled, "Did I scare you, Shane?"

With a sigh, Shane relaxed, sneered at her, "You? Scare me? Lily, don't joke."

His sister didn't stop smiling, but he didn't feel bothered by it. Lily was a quiet, gentle girl with firm but loving hands and a tender personality. She was only two years younger than he was, and had been his only companion ever since childhood. The pair were inseparable, even if they were as different as night and day.

Unlike Lily, who was frail and fair and soft and beautiful in every way, Shane was tall, sturdily built with lean muscle all throughout his arms, legs and chest. His face was chiseled perfectly manly, and his eyes were dark, dark blue. His lips were full like his sisters, but not as red, his hair was long, well kept, and dark like the night sky, a trait neither of his parents showed. He had one earring through his pointed ear and was, for the day, dressed in a short, rough, blue tunic, his tanned legs exposed. But their appearance wasn't all that separated the two teenagers. Lily was strong and bold, fearless, with little or no bad temper. She was compliant with the wishes of their parents, although defiant when she knew she had to do what was right, and she was brave. She'd been the first to ride one of the wild horses their father had tamed, and only after she'd proven it could be done did Shane try it. 

Shane was different. He was not as bold as his sister, and not as strong in spirit. He had many fears: fears of darkness, fears of battle and of monsters that his father had told stories about. He felt ashamed of his fears, knowing what a courageous, and powerful man his father was, but he couldn't help the fear that was so strong inside of him; it was his most basic instinct. People knew it.

Oh, he'd heard them all talk. Whenever he and his father rode the long trip to the Hyrule Castle market people stared, he'd heard them whisper. They all knew who Shane's father was—the great Hero of Time. That same Hero of Time who'd drawn the Master Sword-the Sword of Evil's Bane-and had freed all six sages from their dark imprisonment. He was the Hero of Time who'd met Princess Zelda, now the Queen of Hyrule, and who'd slain Ganondorf when it seemed no one ever would. He was the Hero of Time who'd traveled far from home, taking only, Epona, the Ocarina of Time, and a small sword, who'd gone into the strange land of Termina to release it from the powers of evil there. He'd been raised as a fairy child and had become something much greater than all of the heroes and all of the sages and all of the monsters before him. He was a legend in his own time. The people celebrated him often. 

But Shane didn't have the courage his father had. He didn't have that sense of justice and that yearning to make things right. He was a horse boy, contented to stay on the ranch for the rest of his life, just like his grandfather before him. Maybe not sleep so much, but he would stay safe in Lon Lon. He didn't desire any adventures. 

Of course, no one was going to forget who he was or who his father was. They knew his heritage too well, and they weren't going to let it go. They would worship this Link forever, never mind his coward of a son.

In only a few weeks would be the annual Festival of the Hero, a huge parade in honor of Link to commemorate the day he'd defeated Ganondorf. The whole family would pack up, get on their horses, and ride the half-day journey to Hyrule Castle to be greeted and honored by Her Majesty. Shane was apprehensive about the venture, but he was a little hopeful at seeing and even meeting Princess Jennifer. They'd met at the last thirteen festivals, and it was always a pleasure to see her. 

Lily drew Shane out of his thoughts, "Let's just leave Grandfather where he is, shall we? Mother will wake him up." She smiled at her shy, gentle brother and took the egg from him. "Before you break it." She explained. She turned from him, long, golden hair shimmering in the light.

Grinning, Shane followed. The siblings left the coop, and their sleeping grandfather, and made their way toward the house. There was a light burning in the kitchen window and Shane could hear his mother singing: her beautiful, melodious voice filling the air as the darkness came across the sky. 

"Are you ready for the festival?" Lily asked, sweet voice capturing his attention again.

Shane shrugged, "I'd rather not go, you know that."

His sister turned to him, "Oh yes, I know, you'd rather stay here with your beautiful horses and never think about anything, least of all who you are." Her voice was teasing, but he detected some scorn in it. Lily knew his fears, and although she never said anything, he knew she disapproved of her brother's behavior.

"I'm proud of father," Shane protested, "no one is prouder of him than I am, but…it's just," he looked away, "I'm his son; people naturally expect me to do what he did, to be a hero. I'm not like that Lily. You're the strong one."

Gently, Lily touched his hand, "You're strong too, Shane, I see it inside of you. I know there's a fighter in there. Besides, in a world like ours, it's not so bad to be a kind person, is it?"

He shrugged, muttered, "If only I were braver."

"Never mind. Let's not worry about it now. Maybe some day you'll have to prove yourself, Shane, but until then, just be glad that our father has made everything peaceful."

The boy managed to smile at her. "You're right. I worry too much, I guess. It's-"

He didn't get to finish his thought because his father's mild voice came to them at that instant and the siblings turned to see him standing in the door way. "Dinner's ready." He called. "Come in and get washed up, your mother's setting the table." He disappeared inside.

The brother and sister walked a little faster toward the house, "Lily," Shane whispered, "does it ever seem strange to you that the Hero of Time became a family man?"

"A little I guess. He always seems so lonely, not unhappy, but just like he's waiting for something to happen. I think he wants to feel needed, maybe that's why he married and had children."

Shane nodded, musing over the idea, walked into the house. It smelled warm and comforting, the scent of roasting meat and freshly baked bread filled the tiny room with an aromatic pleasantness that hurled him back through the years to his childhood.

Malon, his mother, was standing at the head of the table, surveying her children with Shane's same blue eyes, her red hair looked darker in the evening light. She smiled, at her son, "How were the horses, Shane?"

For a greeting he hugged her and said, "They were good. Mudora's foal will be born any day now. You'll have to ride Wind Walker to the festival next week. That's about when Mudora will be birthing." Shane couldn't help feeling a little over-inflated. If there was anything he knew about it was horses. 

Malon looked worriedly at her husband, "Well Fairy Boy," she said softly, "will it really be all right for me to leave Mudora here while she births? Perhaps I should stay behind."

Link shook his head, smiling at his wife's familiar, old affection, "No, that's all right. I'm sure your father and Ingo will take good care of her."

For the first time since he'd entered the house, Shane looked up at his father. Link was a tall, strong man, built a lot like his son, but with the same fair hair and complexion and eyes his daughter had. He had aged considerably since his quests, but he still looked young and handsome and composed, and he'd still drop everything to help a stranger.

Shane remembered one of his first visits to Hyrule Castle as a child. He and his father had happened across an old man with a large donkey cart. The wooden wheel had run over a sharp rock in the road and broken, preventing the man and his cart to go any further. It had taken hours to repair the wheel, but Link had stopped to help any way, and because some of the milk went sour in the sun, he'd lost money, but to Shane, only a small child at the time, it was the first day he'd really seen his father as the hero he was. He'd never forget what the old man had said as his cart had moved slowly away: "You're a hero, my boy, and not because you killed the King of Evil or rescued our queen, but because you've got it in your heart to be so. You've got the strength of a thousand men in your soul."

For a long time Shane had wondered about that old man and the things he'd said. He had finally decided that the strength he'd mentioned was what set him apart from his famous father. It was something he lacked.

Now the family sat down at the table, plates piled high with meat and vegetables. Fresh milk was set out and there was a loaf of bread at the center of the table. "Mother," Lily said, "Grandfather is out in the coop sleeping, we decided to let him sleep."

Malon nodded, "You couldn't have waked him if you tried."

"He'll eat later," Link added, "now let's pray." 

The family linked hands and bowed their heads. Link began, "Oh, goddesses, Nayru, Faore and Din, we thank you for your blessings of health and companionship and we ask that as another day passes and our children grow older you protect us all and continue your provision so that we may-"

Outside a rumbling shook the ground, growing louder and louder, until at last it drowned Link's voice out. The family looked up, Lily ran to the window and looked out.

"It sounds like a stampede!" Shane shouted over the noise.

"Father!" Lily cried, "There are Gerudos outside!"

Link rushed to her side, "How many!"

"It looks like thirty…or forty—a lot."

The Hero of Time turned to his wife, "Malon, you and Lily stay here, Shane, come out with me and we'll see what they want." He reached over and grabbed a knife, hooked it under his belt. "If it's a fight they want they'll get it."

Shane was frozen to the floor, staring at his father with wide eyes, he could feel the color draining from his face, his hands were shaking, "Me? Come out with you to fight?"

Link returned his gaze coolly, "I suppose I could do it alone."

Horrified, Lily stepped forward, "No Father! You'll be killed! I'll go with you."

He shook his head, "Daughter, you know better. You'd be more likely to die than I would, and Shane is stronger than you anyway." Link looked one last time at his son and walked outside.

"Physically," the girl muttered, struck her brother hard on the shoulder, "don't just stand there looking stupid! Help him!"

A lump growing in his throat, Shane stared at her, "Lily…I-I…you know me, I'm not a good fighter. I would be of no use to him—I'd only get in the way."

"Coward." Lily snorted, taking a knife of her own and following her father. Desperately Malon tried to grab her.

"Lily! Come back!" Shane wanted to run after her and stop her, he truly wanted to go out and stand beside his father, fight the Gerudos, but his feet were frozen in place. He could only stare in horror as his sister left his side.

But it was too late, the girl had stepped out of the house and was standing bravely beside her father as he confronted the Gerudo leader. The women looked down at them from horse back and sneered. "Well, well, Link. We meet at last. I was five when you killed my mother, now at last you'll pay."

Link's voice remained cool, "Tell me what you want or leave my home. We live here in peace and we don't appreciate you changing that."

"Want? You think I want something other than to visit the legendary Hero of Time? Tell me, Link, I hear you have a son. I see your daughter, but where is the boy? Did he send his sister to fight? Rumor has it he's no more than a young coward, a goat herder."

Shane's cheeks burned as he heard the words but he remained inside the house, staring out the window in terror. He couldn't believe this was happening. What were the female thieves doing here, at his house? Why were they asking about him?"

"What do you want with my son?"

"It's that time of year again, Hero," she sneered, "our Goddess demands the sacrifice of a young virgin. Males are the gender that please Our Lady of the Sand, hand him over and we might not burn your lovely home to the ground."

Link looked sharply over his shoulder at Shane, "You won't take my son to your goddess."

The leader smiled sweetly, "But I've heard that he's so pretty. Are you sure we can't have him, Hero?"

"One last time, leave now, or I'll kill all of you."

"So that's how it is?" The leader circled around him on her horse, her masked face filled with glee, her eyes twinkling in the dying light. "Very well, if you will not offer up your son, my Hero, we will take you lovely daughter." With a sudden viciousness she lashed out at Link, silver blade on fire in the sunset. 

Link managed to dodge and went at her with his knife, stabbing at her leg. She kicked him in the face, knocking him to the ground and reared up on her horse, almost crushing him before he rolled away. 

Furious at the treatment of her father, Lily flung herself at the closest Gerudo, knocking her off her horse and killing her with the knife. Blood splattered her clothes, but she ran at the next one, attacking viciously. 

Shane could only stare in horror as his father and sister fought the Gerudos. Malon nudged him harshly, "What are you doing, Son? Help them or they'll die!"

He found he could do nothing but stare at her. He willed himself to move, he tried to lift a foot but discovered that his knees were shaking and he couldn't go a step. _What is wrong with me? Why am I so afraid? Why does my sister fight and I dare not?_

The battle went on for several minutes, several Gerudos died, others ran away, terrified to finally be fighting the legendary Hero of Time. Blood stained the grass, the gentle lowing of the cows turned to frightened blatting. 

Out in the yard, Lily cried out. A particularly large Gerudo woman had swung her up into the saddle of a fallen rider and in spite of the wounds the girl inflicted, took the reigns of the horse and rode away toward the gate. Shane almost started out the door, stared after his sister as she was bundled away. He could feel the rage building up within him, threatening to come to the surface. Still he could not find it in himself to join the fight.

"Lily!" Link screamed, charging after her.

The girl cried back, "Father! Help me!" She vanished beyond the gate. 

Quickly, the Gerudo leader followed after them, shouting, and laughing, "If you ever want to see your daughter again, Hero, you'll bring your son to the Temple of the Rebel Thieves! Our Goddess will be very pleased to meet the young coward!" In a cloud of dust she too had disappeared.

Link shouted at his son, "Shane! What are you doing? Get the horses and help me!" He jumped into the saddle of a Gerudo and started galloping toward the gate. One of the remaining thieves charged him and slammed against his side, their horses biting and nipping at each other. Link slashed with his knife and cut into the woman's arm but she didn't back off. Instead she shoved the horse he was on into the wall, it tripped over a wooden bench and fell on its side, throwing its rider off onto the ground. Link didn't move.

"Father!" Shane screamed, running at last from the house. 

Before he could reach Link two Gerudos had come up on either side of him and were grabbing at his arms, trying to lift him away into their saddles. He shouted and lashed out at them with the first real feeling of rage he'd ever had in his life. He knocked one off her horse and she was trampled. From there it was easy to wrench away from the second, smaller woman, and then knock her down as well. Her horse ran out the gate, rider caught in the stirrups. 

Shane knelt beside Link and Malon rushed from the house, crying. Link was writhing in pain, holding his left arm and wincing. The arm was twisted in a strange direction, blood oozing from a cut where the bone had broken through his flesh. "Lily!" he snarled, saliva oozing from his mouth. Shane tried to hold him down in vein.

"No, Father! You can't go after her! Your arm—that's your sword arm!"

"Fool!" Link shoved his son away, "Why didn't you help us? It's your fault they took her! Now get out of my way!" Staggering from the pain, Link stood up, moved slowly toward the gate. 

His son caught his arm, "I won't let you!"

"Get away, Shane! Lily should have been my son, she's always been braver than you!"

Shane stared at him. In all his life he'd never heard his father speak so harshly, he'd guessed that Link might be ashamed of him, but he'd never seen any evidence of it. Was it actually possible that Link was just as embarrassed as everyone else. "I'm sorry." Shane whispered.

Link turned from him, head down, shoulders shaking.

Malon embraced him, "Don't be so hard on the boy, my Love, it was a fierce battle, and he's never been made to fight like you. He's right about one thing, with your sword arm not working there's nothing you can do."

"But Lily… how will we get her back?"

The woman shook her head, "I'm not sure. Perhaps the queen can help."

"I can't ride to the Queen with my arm like this."

"Then I'll go." Malon said it forcefully, but Shane could see that she was afraid to travel alone. 

"Not alone, Malon, I could never forgive myself if something happened to you."

The woman looked at her son, "I'll take Shane with me."

Link shook his head, "It's too dangerous for you, Malon… you're only a woman, and it's soon to be night."

"Well what else can we do? Our daughter will be killed."

Finally, Link turned to Shane, his blue eyes full of sadness, "He'll go."

"What?" Malon gasped.

"Me?" Shane stuttered. "Father, I can't go…you were right. Everyone was right. Even the Gerudos know it: I'm a coward. I can't go to the Queen."

"Listen to me boy," Link said roughly, "your sister has been taken in your place, I'd go for her myself but look at the shape I'm in. Your mother can't go. _You _are Lily's only hope. Do you understand that, Shane? _You._ No one else can help her."

"But…I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what? Of the darkness? Shane I've long wondered when you would stop being a child and become the man you're supposed to be. I was your age when I killed Ganondorf, I did many things at your age, I'm a hero because of them."

"You had the triforce." Shane scoffed, "you couldn't be afraid." Suddenly he was angry. "You don't know what it's like to be afraid!"

"That's not true, I do know. I've been afraid many times, Shane. I was afraid the night you were born—my first child, my greatest responsibility. But listen to me, Son," Link put a gentle hand on his son's shoulder, said softly, "having courage doesn't mean you're not afraid…it means you are afraid. It means you're terrified of what's coming. But the thing with courage is, that even when you're afraid you do what you've got to do. You do what it takes to win, even if it seems like you cannot."

"I'm not strong like you."

Link looked at him somberly, "Do you remember what the old man with the cart said to me? You were only seven years old, but I know you remember it."

Shane fought to find the words, his mouth was dry, "He said that you, Father, are a hero because you've got it in your heart to be one…you've got the strength in your soul to do what's right."

Smiling, Link touched his bloodied hand to his son's face, "I never asked for the task I was given, Son, it came to me, that's just how it is. Now maybe, at last, a task has come to you, something only you can do. I believe that you've got what it takes to be a hero, if not up here," he touched Shane's forehead, "then maybe it's down here." He touched the same finger to the boy's chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Darkness

After that the family went back inside and Malon tended to Link's wounds. The father took his son up to the attic and opened a chest on the far side of the room. The room was musky and dark, it smelled of rats and dust, shadows were stretched strangely on the wall by the setting sun. Careful with his injured arm, Link knelt beside the chest and eased it open, sending a fog of dust into the air. Shane coughed.

"Here we are," Link said quietly, his voice back to it's normal, easygoing tone. He removed a long, felt, green hat from the trunk, handed it to Shane.

The boy looked it over uncertainly, shaking some dust out of it. He recognized it as the same hat that was depicted in all the paintings of his father: Part of his outfit from when he'd been the young Hero of Time. Shane took a deep breath, realizing he was about to see something not even Malon had seen for years. The story went that Link had put the clothes away the day Shane had been born. "Father," he tried to protest, "I can't-"

"If you don't feel like a warrior," Link said kindly, "you can at least look like one." Next he pulled out a long, green tunic that looked like it would fall to Shane's knee, and then a skin-tight, long sleeved shirt and a matching pair of trews. "Quickly," Link instructed, put these on."

A little reluctantly, Shane removed the tunic he was wearing, shivered as his body was exposed to the cold and began wrestling with the undergarments, then he pulled the tunic over his head just as Link dropped the belt on the floor, followed by the gloves and the boots. Shane buckled the belt and pushed his bare feet into the boots. "Father," he complained, "I feel silly." He tried the gloves on next.

"Now the hat." Said Link, ignoring his son's objection. 

Obediently, Shane tried on the hat. He looked in the near by mirror, was so shocked by his reflection that he actually gasped out loud. The boy looking out at him appeared almost eighteen and was a doppleganger of the legendary Hero of Time, aside from his darker hair and eyes. "I look just like you." He whispered.

"You're my son." Link clapped a hand on Shane's shoulder, thrust the knife he was still holding at the boy, "Here. I'm sorry, I don't have a sword for you to use, but your trip to the castle should be relatively safe if you stick to the main roads. From there, depending on what happens, you'll be able to get a better weapon."

Shane couldn't help snorting, "From there I guarantee I'll be coming home. I'm just going to tell Zelda what's happened and then she can send someone for Lily."

Link shrugged, "That's up to you, Shane, I can't control where you go and what you do after you leave home." He looked seriously at his son, "I just want both of my children home in one piece, only you can make that happen now."

"I'm not you." Shane said softly as his father adjusted the hat, "I can never be you…I walk in your footprints, but you don't know how big they really are."

His father grinned, a rare sight, "I didn't think I was a hero when I started out on my first quest either, but now look who I am. I have everything I could ever want. I know that if you look deep enough you can find your own hero right inside yourself. Now hurry, what the Gerudos will do with Lily I don't know, but if you don't get moving I'm afraid it might be too late."

"Father." Shane wanted to say more, there was so much his heart was burning to express, but he didn't know how to make the words.

Link hurried him quickly back downstairs, snagging a long, dark cloak off a peg in the wall. "For when it gets cold." He explained.

Malon had already packed up a small provision of food and arranged it carefully in a wallet. She handed the ration to her son, wiping tears from her eyes and trying to smile. "I don't know when you'll have time to eat again, Shane, but I packed this for you. It's not much…"

Touched by his mother's affection, Shane accepted the food, "Thank you Mother."

At last, Link shoved another small wallet at Shane. "Money, for when the food runs out, or whenever you need something."

Shane tied the two wallets to his belt and Link helped him drape the cloak around his shoulders. The two men hurried out to the stable, not stopping to light a torch. Link brought Darkness out. 

"He just ate so he should be strong for a while. Don't worry too much about how hard you're working him. What matters right now is saving your sister."

"I know." Shane slid into the saddle and looked down at his father, still struggling to find one last goodbye that simply wouldn't come. "Father-"

"There's no time, Son," his father said plaintively, "you must ride now."

Shane looked out at the setting sun, knew it would be long past dark by the time he reached Hyrule Castle. "Goodbye Father," he said softly, "I'll see you in a few days…maybe tomorrow."

Link nodded but it was impossible to read his thoughts. He leaned close to the horses face, his lips just inches from Darkness' ear and Shane heard him say, "Go Darkness, watch over the life of my son as your mother watched over me." With that he slapped the stallion's rump, sending him flying out into the meadow. 

Shane yanked hard on the reigns, steering Darkness toward the gate; when he had his stallion on the right course he turned and watched as both his parents faded into the shadows, and soon Lon Lon Ranch was just a speck against horizon.

It was midnight and raining by the time Shane reached the gate into Hyrule Castle. The torches were burning dimly and the drawbridge was up. Darkness was soaked and restless, kept whickering and prancing back and forth. The cloak Shane had drawn about himself when the rain began was also soaked all the way through and his teeth were chattering from cold. He'd never ridden so quickly in his life. He was so nervous that the Gerudos were still around, or that the monsters of the field would attack him when he didn't even have a sword. It had been almost seven hours since he'd left home and the quest looked more hopeless than when it had started.

He shouted up at the drawbridge, "Hello! Open the gate! Please open the gate!"

A guard's head appeared over the turret, "Who goes there?"

"My name is Shane, I live at Lon Lon Ranch, and I'm on important business!"

"Shane? _The_ Shane? The son of the Hero of Time? Tell me ya're not jokin'."

"I'm not joking. Please let me in now!"

"How can I be sure ye're really who ya' say ya' are?"

Shane thought a moment, "Well, you could open the gate and let me in."

"Oh, what a good idea," the guard said sarcastically, "why don't we just let in Ganondorf's ghost and the whole Gerudo army as well? Be gone, young rascal, I'm not lettin' ya' in."  
"For Love of Nayru, open this damn gate! It's cold and dark out here!" Thinking he'd heard a noise behind him, Shane turned around, certain he'd see Skull Children sneaking up on him. 

"Don't getcher' toggles in a bunch, kid, just go up to Kakariko Village and get shelter there. They take anybody at all hours of the night. It's only a mile or two away."

"What the hell?" Shane's short fuse was finished, "I don't have time for that! You stupid, ill-bred, old bastard! My sister's been kidnapped, and I _have_ to see the Queen as soon as I can—I can't let a filthy, low-born, half-dead-"

"Look kid, if yer plannin' on winnin' yer way in here with all of yer charm, ya'd best change strategies. I've been guard at this 'ere gate over fifteen years-that's more'n yer life I'd bet-an' I'm not lettin' in some hot-headed fool like ya' just 'cause he's pert 'nough to throw a fit. The Queen isn't even awake at this hour. Now get yerself outta' 'ere, or I'll arrest ya." 

Shane stared at the man, realizing he was probably right about the Queen, but still hoping that at any moment he'd change his mind, but the soldier's head disappeared and so after a moment he turned his horse, trotting slowly back up Zora river until he could see the lights of the town.

In the morning Shane was just as cold as the night before. He'd been unable to find shelter for the night and so had passed most of the sleepless hours sitting miserably under a tree just inside the town, Darkness whickering and grazing at his leisure. To comfort himself Shane had eaten some of the bread and cheese Malon had packed. For a long time he'd thought about simply going home, lying to his parents about seeing the Queen, but he remembered Lily's beautiful face and how angry she'd been when her brother had refused to help Link. The memory gave him renewed cause and at the crack of dawn he was back at the drawbridge and then over it the very instant it was down. He rode through quickly, glaring at the soldiers as he passed. They simply watched him go.

Hyrule Market was bustling with activity for so early in the morning. Merchants in bright colors were shaking the rain out of their awnings and setting up shop for the day. Browsers were already out perusing the wares and small children chased Cuckoos and dogs through the streets, constantly under foot. The little town wasn't very big, and it was, in Shane's opinion, filthy, the people who weren't merchants were dressed in rags, but still there was a smile on everyone's face, and a laugh on their lips. Many of them greeted the cloaked stranger as he trotted through the town on his black horse. Others tried their best to make him buy something. Either way, Shane ignored them, kept both eyes fixed on the castle up ahead. He was determined to get this over with, but he was worried that the soldiers wouldn't let him through. 

The boy plummeted straight out of town, and stopped his horse so quickly in front of the gate that Darkness reared up and cried out, piercing the sky with his rich voice.

"Look at this'un," a guard said without interest, "thinks he's hot stuff he does. I s'pose I'll handle 'im if you won't." He stopped in front of Shane, grabbing Darkness' reigns and pulling him down, "And where is it, I'd like to know, that yer goin' t'day, young master?"

"Please sir, I don't have time. I must see the Queen before it's too late!"

"The Queen? What's a mutt's-whelp like ya' want with 'Er Majesty?"

Insulted by the man's words, Shane raised his chin up a little, "My younger sister has been kidnapped, Sir, I must see the Queen for help."

"Kidnapped?" A second guard demanded, "By who?"

"The Gerudos."

"Yer sister, lad? The Gerudos have no use for girls; they might like a bonny lad like yerself though." At this the two men chuckled. 

"There's no time for jokes," Shane snarled, "my sister may die because you two clowns can't get your act together."

"Well, well, this'uns got a fierce temper, ain't he?"

"Like a fire." The other agreed.

"Well, Sir Rider, if yer out t' save yer sister, I'd suggest ya' get yer horse movin.' It's up t' _you_ t' save 'er now."

"Rons," a female voice scolded, "what are you doing?"

Shane glanced up and noticed for the first time that a beautiful young lady with streaming blonde hair and a perfect face had approached; she was riding side-saddle on a large, white mare and was dressed in the finest materials rupees could buy. She had an air of command about her, a look on her face that made Shane want to do whatever she said, although she was only his age, and not a day older. A middle-aged woman dressed in dark armor was standing at the girl's side, looking very stoic.

"M' Lady!" the soldier named Rons stuttered, "Yer out a bit early t'day, ain't ya? Goin' down to oversee workins for the festival?"

"You haven't answered my question, Rons. Now _what_ are you doing?"  
"Ah, this lad, m' Lady, he says he wants t' see yer mother, and I naturally can't let just ol' anybody int' the Castle, that'd be high treason, it would."

"Fool!" The Princess snapped, "Don't you know who this boy is? This is the only son of _the_ Hero of Time! Let him in immediately."

Looking at Shane differently, the guards hastened to let him in.

Several minutes later, Shane found himself standing in the foyer of the royal castle, his damp cloak removed. Darkness was led away to the royal stables for grooming and feeding, and Shane was led by Princess Jennifer herself up to the audience chambers of the Queen.

"You look so different from last year." The Princess giggled, "And you're wearing your father's clothes! I'm really glad to see you, though, and I'm sorry about the soldiers. They take their job very seriously."

Shane tried to find something to say, but only found himself blushing and shrugging.

The Princess giggled again, just as they reached the audience chamber door. "All right, you know the drill, just kneel, she'll offer you her hand, you kiss it and tell her how gracious she is, and then she'll tell you to rise. Only after she asks what you want do you answer. Got it?"

The boy only nodded, took a deep breath to prepare himself. The door swung open and he was allowed into a large room decorated lavishly with golden ornaments and crimson carpet leading up the dais to the throne. Queen Zelda was seated on the left-most throne, dressed in a splendid, silk gown, a long, draping cape falling all the way to the floor. Her eyes were a lighter blue than his father's and her hair was also a gentler color, gossamer and long like tassels of silk. The boy tried retain a confident air, raised his chin and threw his chest out, looked at Zelda with respect, but not nervousness, then, remembering his etiquette, he knelt, forehead to floor.

"Shane," Zelda said. She had a smooth, robust voice. It was gentle and tender and yet filled the whole room effortlessly. She extended her hand, "It's so good to see you."

With a trembling hand, Shane took hers and kissed it softly, "You're too gracious, my Lady."

"Nonsense, not to you, Shane. I owe my life to your father. Anything you like, you have but to ask. Come now, rise, I want to see you."

Slowly Shane rose, looked shyly at the Queen.

"You grow more handsome each time I see you. Now, Child, tell me what brings you here."

"It's my sister, Majesty."

"Lily?"

Shane nodded, "She's been kidnapped by Gerudos; my father broke his sword arm and he can't go after them. He sent me here to request assistance."

Zelda looked vaguely horrified, she leaned over to whisper to her advisor, then said, "These Gerudos, Shane, can you describe them for me?"

He thought a moment, "Well my Lady, they didn't look like normal Gerudo that I've seen. They were dressed different, in blue instead of purple. And they had their hair dyed black. Does that mean anything.?"

"Oh, this is just as I feared." The Queen shook her head and rubbed her temples. "Did they say what they wanted with your sister?"

Shane swallowed hard, lied, "No my Lady."

Looking very pale, Zelda nodded.

"Mother, what is it?" Jennifer demanded.

"I'm sorry, Shane," the Queen rose, turned to look out the window, her back to the young man, "I'm afraid I cannot help you."

"Your Majesty?" Shane felt frightened by her words; his heart began to pound. Why was it that the only person who might be able to possibly help him was refusing to?

"It's ironic, really, your father sent you here to ask for my help, and yet it's I who should be asking your father for help. When will he be able to fight again?"  
"It was quite a bad break, Your Majesty: the bone pierced his skin; it might get infected for all we know. Why? What is this all about?"

She looked at him again, full of sympathy, "I'm afraid I must be very honest with you, Shane, for there is a great evil moving once again in our land, the likes of which I only trust your father to fight. I had hoped to rely on him once more to defeat this evil, but with the news you have brought I feel little hope."

"What is this evil, Mother?" Jennifer asked, her voice trembling slightly. 

The Queen looked at both teenagers carefully, "It seems that a powerful man named Argoka'shomen is gathering power. He has black powers which I can scarcely comprehend. Witnesses say that he is taking control in the desert, just as Ganondorf did, only now, as you may or may not know, there is a new King of Gerudos, a youth who wishes to rule on his own terms rather than follow an outlander, and thus the Desert Thieves have split so that there are two forces of them: those who follow their King, and those who follow Argoka'shomen. The latter are known as the Rebel Gerudos, and they are brutal, worshipping a sand Goddess their leader brought with him. They have sacrificed several Hylian youths to her, and I believe they intend to do the same to your sister, although," Zelda looked thoughtful, "it has occurred to me that all of the victims before her were young men."

Shane felt himself becoming sick with fear but forced himself to hide it. "What does Argoka'shomen want?"

"All I can presume is that he intends to take over Hyrule, and with my husband away in the Netherworld of Xaton, and most of the army with him, I don't see much hope of us defending this land."

The boy was troubled and frightened by the news. He looked around, hoping to find an answer somewhere among the riches, "Can't the Triforce help us?"

The Queen shook her head, her golden hair catching the light beautifully, "Not so long as the bearer of the Triforce of Courage is unable to fight."

"What _can_ we do?"

"I had a dream of a man dressed in green as you are now fighting and winning this battle, but with Link injured the likelihood of that coming true seems to be no more than a dream." She sighed, "Perhaps that was only wistful thinking on my part."

Suddenly Shane felt angry: angry at the darkness that was surrounding, at the helpless resignation of the Queen and even at his own father, but the reasons were mystifying for him. If only they didn't have to rely on the hero all the time, if only these black things didn't happen. It awakened a strange anger in him at being told that it was hopeless, that no one could do anything. "So there's nothing you can do? No way to save my sister?"

Zelda appeared hesitant, studying Shane carefully. She had obviously noticed the anger that was twisting his normally calm features. "There are three pendants, and if someone were to gather them we might have a chance to win."

"Pendants?"

"Ancient pendants of the gods. Each resides in its own temple in this land, and their powers might be enough to destroy Argoka'shomen, the trouble is gathering them. Link will, of course, be unable to take up this quest." She looked slyly at Shane, "You however, are young and able-bodied."

His blood ran cold, he fought with his fear, "Me, Your Majesty? I'm just a kid, how can I do this?"

"You are your father's son, he did many a great thing when he was even younger than you are. I am sure that if you endeavor hard enough you will be rewarded with success."

"But my Lady, wouldn't it make more sense to send someone older and stronger? I don't even hold a piece of the Triforce. I'm no warrior, I'm a simple farmboy."

"You'll have to save your sister anyway," Zelda persuaded, "if you don't help her no one will. I refuse to make a move until my husband is home with the army; I simply cannot send our defensive troops to fight an offensive battle, that would leave us utterly exposed."

"I know, but there must be some other great warrior who can do it."

"As it stands now," she said slowly, "your father is the only great Hylian Warrior we have."

Shane sighed and studied his feet. He felt like her statement was an insinuation toward his own, pathetic demeanor. 

"Shane," she said tenderly, coming closer to draw him in against her, "you are like a son to me, I would never ask that you do anything to endanger yourself, I would never put you in harm's way. If you truly feel that you cannot complete this mission with your life then by all means, decline, but as I've said, if you do, there will be no one left to save your sister."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Vash

It was noon and the crowd in the market had died down; the peasants had gone home to eat and rest from the heat of the day, but several merchants still loitered around, selling things to anyone they could draw attention from. Shane rode glumly through the streets, trying to decide what to do. He'd left the court of Queen Zelda over an hour before after first eating breakfast with the royal mother and daughter. He'd taken the whole meal silently, denied the Princess's request that he stay for a while, and then, attended by the disappointed girl's Sheikah attendant, he'd been escorted to his horse.

Now he and Darkness clopped through the empty streets in the noonday sun, and Shane wrestled with his emotions. He'd removed his cloak and was left in his father's green tunic, so it wasn't long before he noticed people staring at him and murmuring. That reminded him of who he was, adding more complexity to the situation. According to Zelda it was up to him to save all of Hyrule; he was the only one who could collect these pendants she'd mentioned, and at the same time, he had to save Lily. It only seemed logical that he go and retrieve the pendants to rescue his sister, but he still had a deep-seeded, sickening fear inside of him. Constant doubts ran through his head: what if he wasn't strong enough? What if he just didn't have what it took? He could die doing this. Was anything worth that? He knew his sister was, but if he died or even just ran away he'd be letting her down. Shane desperately wanted to follow in the footsteps of his heroic father and earn his own respect, but he just wasn't sure he could do it. 

He remembered that it was his cowardice that had gotten Lily kidnapped in the first place and there was a knot in his stomach from that realization. He owed it to Lily to be brave, or at least to try. He had to try to show everyone that he wasn't really a coward, although he knew he really was. He knew in his heart that gathering the pendants and fighting Argoka'shomen was his only choice, it was the right choice, and so he knew he had to follow through on that decision. The only problem with his decision was that he didn't have a sword. 

As children both Shane and Lily had been trained by Link to fight with the sword and both were very good. Shane actually enjoyed the drills he knew with a wooden sword; there was something relaxing about the action, and he was considerably better and obviously stronger than his sister. Link believed his son had a true talent. Without a sword though it didn't matter. Unless he found one somewhere he wouldn't be able to help anyone, regardless of fear or justice.

Suddenly an idea struck him. The boy looked up at the tall, gray spire of the Temple of Time. It was a blotting obelisk that stabbed into the sky and seemingly had no tip. He judged that it was only another block or two away. 

The boy's mind spun with questions and uncertainties, but he spurred Darkness to action, called out, "Hiyah! Giddup Darkness!"

At his master's demand, the black stallion cried out and bolted forward so that the pair became a swift blur racing through the city. People jumped out of the way as he bolted by, several shouted at him, but he kept going, knocking over merchant displays and other goods stacked away. After a few sharp corners Shane came to the huge courtyard to the temple. He pulled Darkness to a stop, "Woah, boy, woah, that's good, easy now."

The horse nickered and Shane surveyed the scene around him. There was placid, peaceful water and blossoming trees. The grass was thick and green. A small group of people was mounting the stone steps to enter the temple, lips moving in prayer but without sound. Overwhelmed by a sense of reverence and respect, Shane dismounted his horse, stroked his neck and tied him where he could eat the grass. Then he also started up the steps, fists clenched. The hair on the back of his neck was raised with a feeling of insignificance.

Inside the building was elegant but simple. A stone tablet sat in the middle of the room, and there was a red rug. The people who'd entered before him were kneeling before the stone tablet and praying, some were even crying. 

Ignoring them, Shane approached the tablet and read the inscription. It said that he needed three spiritual stones. He looked around, even though he didn't expect to see them nearby. A little skeptically he stared at the back wall. He knew from the stories that it was the Door of Time, but would it open without the Spiritual Stones?

Hoping not to disturb the pilgrims, Shane walked to the wall and knocked on it with his fist. It was just as solid and strong as any other stonewall in the temple. He looked around for a window or anything that might help him get inside to the Master Sword. He was disappointed to realize there wasn't one. 

Laden with his sorrows, the boy sank down and leaned back against the wall, toying with the fraying fabric of his father's tunic. The Master Sword was on the other side, that was all he knew. He might be able to gather the Spiritual Stones if he knew where to look, but that would take too long. 

Without a sword the quest was futile. 

Shane sensed someone approaching and was a little startled that anyone was going to speak to him. He looked up to see a young man, a few years older than himself standing there. He was slender, but muscular at the same time and had light brown hair with uniquely colored, amethyst eyes. He was dressed in dark blue adorned with silver and had a slight smile on his thin lips. The boots he wore were small and padded, and it was no wonder he'd come in without being noticed.

"Can I help you?" Shane drawled easily. 

"You're Shane." The young man said. "Link's son. My grandmother told me all about your father and how he saved the Kingdom. It's an honor to meet his son."

Again Shane looked the young man up and down, "You're a Sheikah."

"Yes. I am Vash." Vash didn't offer his hand or bow. 

"Well what do you want?" Shane couldn't help feeling a little irritated by the audacity of a complete stranger.

Instead of answering, the Sheikah said, "You're looking for the Sword of Evil's Bane, aren't you? I'm afraid you cannot reach it, Son of the Hero, it's beyond your reach."

Shane snorted, "The Queen wants me to save the Kingdom but I don't even have a sword. I don't even have a slingshot like Father started out with, all I have is this little knife, a bag of money and a really small amount of food."

"That's less than your father had when he started. Perhaps though, you've overlooked your inventory. Isn't there something that can help you?" Vash's voice didn't sound curious or questioning, it sounded shrewd and certain.

Made reluctant by the man's observations, Shane hesitated, "Who was your grandmother?"

"Her name was Impa, but that's of little importance now. The truth is, you need a sword, and sitting here won't get you one. But I know where there is such a magnificent blade it is only second to the Master Sword."

The information made Shane look up with new questions, "Where?"

"Check your pockets, I'm sure you have all you need."

"Right, I'm gonna' find a great sword right here on my person." In spite of himself, he checked his pockets and emptied them, laying out his knife, both wallets and the small, blue Ocarina his father had given him when he was very small. He stared at the instrument and thought a moment. He hadn't remembered bringing it, but he supposed he had. He was so comfortable with the ocarina that taking with him was just standard instinct. He looked at it with wonder. Why had his father given him such a simple item to begin with? And why, along with the gift, had he given the instructions to 'keep it safe'?

Vash smiled, "Ah, perhaps not. Only trying to help, friend: The better one knows his provisions the better off he is." From nowhere he revealed a small lyre. "But I see you have an ocarina. Let's play a tune together, shall we?"

Shane stared at the lyre, "Where did you pull that out of?"

"Play a song with me." Vash urged and began to pluck the strings of his instrument until he was playing a long, sweet melody that dropped and fell like the sprinkles of the rain. It was quick-paced and fiercely enchanting, flowed around Shane like a silk garment.

"Play with me." Vash said again.

Of their own volition, Shane's hands lifted the Ocarina and put it to his lips. He closed his eyes and blew into it, following along with Vash through the quick, spry little tune, until he swore he could feel the sun and the rain falling upon him. He saw trees and sunshine, green grass and fireflies. He saw a beautiful forest before him, beckoning to him, asking that he come in among the branches of safety.

"There," said Vash's gentle voice, "your quest has already begun."

Shane was about to ask what he meant by that when he heard a faint buzzing in his ear and felt his body lifting above the ground, his feet no longer touching the reassuring stone. He opened his eyes to see sparkling green lights whirling around him faster and faster. The world around him became blurry, as if his eyesight were failing and it was difficult to breathe. He felt fear deep in his soul. Vash vanished like an apparition and was followed by the people praying and then the stone walls itself. He screamed but it was too late. Suddenly everything went dark.

When Shane woke up he was lying on his face in the dirt, his body tingling as if numb. His ocarina was lying beside him. He sat up slowly onto his knees, rubbed his head and tried to make sense of what had happened. He looked around for the Sheikah but found himself surrounded by tall leafy trees. Above him the canopy was a glittering, emerald land. Golden sunshine shone through and warmed his body, a bird called from the branches of the tree closest and a cool breeze was whispering through the leaves, brushing through his thick, dark hair. He stood carefully, still looking around fearfully. Where in the world was he? And what of his horse?"

Shane shouted into the woods, "Darkness? Darkness!" he whistled, which usually brought the stallion running. The woods were silent. The boy looked down at the blue ocarina lying overtly in the green grass. He picked it up and put it to his trembling lips. He was about to play Epona's song-a melody that was as effective on the mare's colt as it was on Epona herself-when something struck him: it had been the ocarina that had brought him here. Vash playing his lyre hadn't had any affect on Shane, but once he'd played the strange song on his ocarina he'd been transported to…to…wherever he was now. He quickly put the ocarina away and looked around again. 

Darkness wasn't coming and it was getting later with each passing second. Shane didn't know how long he'd been unconscious but he hoped it hadn't been more than a day. He chose a random direction and started walking. At some point he had to get out of the woods. He went weaving between the trees, walking and walking for hours, not ever seeming to get anywhere. Soon he became tired and sat down hopelessly under a tree. 

Already his quest was failing. He'd been a fool to take on such a difficult demand. Now he was likely lost in the ghostly woods, and not only would his parents never see him again, but Lily would likely die. Shane tried not to think about his parents and the grief they would suffer as he looked around the woods. He'd wandered for several hours and the light was a little less pale now and was becoming warmer. He guessed it was near noon. Not as many birds were singing. He took out his ocarina again. Perhaps if it had brought him here it would also take him back, but he didn't know any songs other than some that he had written himself.

The boy sighed deeply and breathed into his instrument, playing a few melancholy notes. The sound reminded him of is mother. She always used to sing Epona's song, and his father would stand beside her and play along with his own ocarina. He longed to see them now, he wished that everything could be the way it had been only a few days ago. Everything had been so perfect and he'd just taken advantage of it. How could he have been so selfish? Why hadn't he enjoyed every waking moment with his family?

Shane stopped playing. Some other song was being played, overlapping his, it was loud and attractive, and yet eerie at the same time. He recognized it as the song that he and Vash had played, and fear clamped around his heart, his hands started to sweat. Fighting his instinct to run, Shane stood up and walked in the direction the music seemed to be coming from, keeping close to the shadows and hugging the trees. It wasn't long before he came to a clearing. 

There the sun was streaming with particular brightness and the music was louder. There were no birds and the grass was well-trimmed. One huge stump was set in the middle of the clearing. Shane squinted to see and discovered with some surprise that there was a child atop the log. 

The child was dancing, hopping back and forth on his feet, playing a thin, high-pitched flute. He was dressed all in orange and appeared very spindly and small. He had strange, light-colored eyes and his flesh was dark.

Shane gasped. The child was strange and deformed with a beak in place of his mouth and nose. He stopped playing when he saw Shane and stared with beady eyes. 

"Uh…excuse me…I didn't mean to interrupt," Shane took a few steps forward, "but I think I'm lost. Could you show me how to get out of the-"

Something hard stuck Shane on the face, stinging his flesh. "Owe!" the boy yelped and stepped back. "Hey you little creep! What's wrong with you?" Another small stone hit him right on the forehead. Shane stumbled back, groping for the dagger on his belt. He tripped and fell as another, larger stone struck him on the shoulder. "Get away from me!" he screamed.

"They're afraid of you." Said a small, timid voice.

Shane looked around and saw two tiny children standing behind him, staring. They looked a little afraid themselves. There was a boy with shortly-cropped red hair, a freckled face and dancing eyes. He wore a tunic like Shane's without the white trews and shirt, but his cap was pointed and stiff. The girl with him was taller than he and had shoulder-length, pale green hair. She was dressed in a small, green skirt with boots of the same color. Both of them had green eyes.

Shane scrambled to get up, dagger still in hand. He glared with menace at the monster child that had attacked him and it seemed to cringe and back away. Then he looked at the two humanoid children, "Scared? I wasn't going to hurt him until he started throwing things at me."

Both of the children looked down uncertainly at Shane's glimmering knife. The boy seemed fascinated but didn't get closer. Slowly the girl replied, "You're dressed like us. We thought that we should investigate."

"Yeah, I am dressed a little like you I guess." Shane put the knife away and extended his hand to shake, "I'm Shane."

"Miri," the girl said at length, putting her small hand in his, "and this is my brother, Diri. She gestured to the monster child, "That's our friend, the Skull Kid. We're Kokiri."

"Kokiri?" Shane thought a moment. Something about that word was familiar to him. At last he nodded, "you raised my father."

Miri just looked at him blankly, "Your father is a Kokiri?" She appeared very doubtful.

"Kokiri don't grow up." Diri said importantly, "It's impossible."

Shane was frustrated by their childish self-importance, "No, he wasn't a Kokiri, he's Hylian, but he was raised by Kokiri until he was ten years old. You might have heard of him: he's the Legendary Hero of Time." The boy was proud of the words and he didn't try to hide it.

However neither of the children looked impressed. Diri said, "I've never heard of him."

"Neither have I," agreed his sister, "how legendary was he?"

"He saved all of Hyrule."

The siblings glanced at each other but still seemed disinterested.

"Never mind." Shane sighed. "Have either of you seen a horse? He's a black stallion, and his name is Darkness. I don't know if he's around these woods or not."

"Didn't you ride him here?" Diri asked.

"No…I don't…" Shane blushed as he admitted his predicament, "I don't know how I got here."

This raised questioning looks from the children, but they remained silent until Miri said softly, "Are you lost, Mister?"

"No," Shane snorted, "not really, I just need to find my horse, and then I need a good sword. After than I'm off to find the pendant of Courage so that I can save Hyrule like my father did." He hoped the kids didn't sense the fear that he was feeling.

At last Miri seemed to understand something, "Oh! You're _Link's_ son!"

A bit stupefied, Shane nodded, "I am."

"You should have said so. All the Kokiri know who Link is. No one here ever calls him the Hero of Time, we all just know him as Link." She smiled contritely, "I remember him. I always had such a crush on him."

Shane was shocked by the information and he tried frantically to process it. "A crush? You can't be more than ten years old."

"Wrong-I'm forty five."

At seeing Shane's blank look Diri supplied, "Kokiri don't age physically."

"Oh, right. Of course. I know that, I just didn't really think about it." Shane tried to hide how sheepish he felt.

Miri giggled, "You're funny. I like you. Okay, you've convinced me."

"Convinced you?"

"You want me to help you, right? I can take you to our village leader, it just so happens that he knows where to find the Pendant of Courage."

All at once it was as if a huge load of stone had fallen from Shane's shoulders, "He does? Oh thank Goddess; I really need to find that Pendant, so the sooner the better. Where is it."

Smiling gently, Miri took Shane's hand, "I'll show you." She led him away into the woods.

Kokiri village was small and peaceful, run by no one but children. There were children everywhere: cutting grass, picking up rocks and climbing on the buildings. Like Miri and Diri they were all accompanied by their own forest fairy. Shane stood out like a sore thumb and quickly perceived that all the Kokiri were staring at him as Miri and Diri led him to the center of the village. He stood there, towering above the villagers, trying to hide how embarrassed he was. He searched their faces for a village leader but saw nothing but curious children. 

The Kokiri were strange to him. He wondered what it would be like to be a child forever, to never grow up, never mature, never grow facial hair, never be in love or have sex or give birth or raise children. He wondered how their culture survived without the capability of reproduction but decided it would be imprudent to ask.

Suddenly a particularly tall, red-headed Kokiri boy pushed through the crowd, shouting at the other villagers, "Let me through, let me through! I command you all to step aside for the Great Mido!" 

Shane stared at the new kid, noting his bulbous, ugly nose and the pouting look on his lips. His green eyes were small and shifty, hidden in a slightly chubby face. He had his small arms crossed and his pudgy fists clenched. He looked up at Shane disapprovingly, "This is the Hylian you brought to me Miri? You say he's Link's son? He looks nothing like Link. This kid is an absolute wimp, and if he wants my help he'll have to _prove_ that he's Link's son."

"Prove it?" Miri demanded, "How on earth can he prove it Mido? Can't you just believe him?"

"Don't you back-talk me girl. Mister Hylian will have to prove it."

"Excuse me," Shane said, barely keeping his temper under control. Something about Mido was very annoying to him, "my name is Shane, and I don't know how I can prove it, but I really am the son of Link. I need the Pendant of Courage so I can save my sister."

"I am the Great Mido!" the child gestured grandly with his arms, "The boss of the Kokiri! If you're _really _Link's son you'll have to prove it!"

"I don't know how!" Shane cried in frustration.

"Well I know how, of course, outlander, you have only to wait while I think it over a moment." Mido crossed his arms again, went back to studying Shane. At last he said, "You're too tall to be Link's son. Go away, imposter."

Several Kokiri groaned. Another boy with green hair spoke up, "He should prove it through his strength, Mido, not his height."

"That's right," piped up a girl, "send him to the Temple to kill the evil there!"

Now Mido's eyes were twinkling, "The Temple? He'll be killed, don't even joke."

A murmur ran through the crowd, a shiver ran down Shane's spine, "What temple?"

"The Forest Temple of course." Mido snapped irritably. "Link went there thirty years ago and destroyed the evil residing there, but recently more monsters have appeared in our beautiful forest. I _would_ ask you to go back and destroy the monsters dwelling there, but I wouldn't want to be responsible for your death."

Shane's heart began to hammer, his face was beading with sweat and it was difficult to breathe, even just thinking about fighting monsters. "If I do defeat the evil in the temple what happens then?"

Mido smiled "Why I'll take you to the Great Deku Tree of course."

"This Deku tree…what good will he do for me?"

"He has the Pendant of Courage."

At that moment Shane felt that there was no louder sound in all the lands than his heart. He tried to still it and make it be quiet but it proved impossible. Vash was right, his quest was just beginning and there was clearly not any point to return to now. He couldn't go back. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth but he managed to speak, "Show me the way to the temple."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: The Forest Temple

The actual entrance to the temple was nothing more than a half-dead tree that Shane struggled to climb up while the Kokiri children watched in amazement. Once he was inside he could still hear their delighted cries as they laughed and cheered. Swallowing the sense of dread that was building in his heart, Shane pressed forward into the darkness of the temple. The first room he entered was an open courtyard with several large trees. Vines and moss were growing over the stone walls and Shane heard a growling from behind him. He could feel something breathing on his neck, hissing in his ear. Something lithe but heavy loped up behind him.

Shane strangled a cry and spun around, fists trembling. There was nothing but gloomy shadows. He suppressed a sigh and took a good look around him, up and down each side of the courtyard, until he was sure that he was alone. Then he continued.

Ahead of him was a moldy, rotten door made of wood. The doorknob was rusted and had long ago lost its shimmer. Shane reached for it, half-expecting it to be locked. Much to his surprise, it opened creakily, leaving him to look cautiously down a long, dark passage way. It smelled musty and dank, mixed in with the essence of a decaying body. It made him want to gag, but he stepped through the threshold, dead leaves crunching crisply under his boots. He strained to see as his eyes got used to the dark, kept one hand on the handle of his knife.

Above him something hissed, the scent of rotting flesh got stronger. There was a whirl of movement and a huge, skull shaped spider dropped down in front of its face, snapping its mandibles and writhing its disgusting, black and yellow legs. 

With a scream, Shane stumbled backwards, fell onto his back and stared up at the oozing, hissing creature. The smell of death was enough to make him retch up a little saliva and some of his lunch. He sat trembling on the ground for a moment, wiping his mouth and trying to regain his composure, but he remembered that he didn't even have a shield to protect himself with. 

For several minutes Shane seriously considered running home to his parents; the comfort of their arms and their voices was all he wanted to hear, but he couldn't actually imagine returning to Lon Lon Ranch and explaining to his father that he had run away from a spider.

Shane sat for several more minutes, pondering his the thoughts, and then, with renewed resolution, he got up, drew his blade and went at the Skulltula.

The giant spider hissed and spun at him, lashing out with its legs and gnashing its mandibles. Shane put up an arm to shield his face from the Skulltula's attack, clutched his knife tightly in one hand and stabbed at the spider; there was a metallic ring as the knife hit against the bone of the spider. 

Shane stood back, holding his breath and studying his foe. It spun several times before he understood that the underside was the part to attack. Swallowing his fears, he waited until the soft part of the spider was exposed before he caught onto one of its thick hairy legs, then, blocking out his aversion to the creature, he plunged his blade hilt deep into the soft, black flesh. 

Odious, thick, dark green blood gushed from the wound, spraying all up and down Shane's forearm. The Skulltula hissed a dying cry, convulsed violently and twitched for several moments before it hung limply from its web. 

Shane inspected it cautiously to determine if it were really dead, and then he pushed past the body, let his breath out and hastened down the hallway and out another door. 

For the next two hours the boy struggled through the mysteries of the Forest Temple, uncovering hidden traps and solving difficult puzzles. There were several tight places to squeeze through and steep walls covered in vines to scale, but no matter what the obstacle was, Shane constantly overcame it, putting his fears at the back of his mind and performing the tasks he had to do almost without thinking about them. Along the way he gathered several weapons, including the Deku nuts and the dead stems of the Deku Baba he managed to kill. Every now and again he'd come across a small chest with some rupees or a small key in it, and in spite of the monsters he faced he found that the Forest Temple was relatively peaceful.

When he had finally broken through a particularly difficult puzzle, Shane found himself in a large courtyard containing a small moat and a leafy tree. Shane knelt beside the moat to wash the blood off himself and even overcame his uncertainties to swim for a while before he flopped down under the tree, got out his ocarina and played a minute or two before getting up to survey his new surroundings.

On the far end of the courtyard there was a stonewall completely overgrown with vines and high above his head Shane spotted a balcony or a landing of some kind. A handful of skulltula were clustered on the wall, but he knew that if he hurried he could get away from them. 

Over his shoulder Shane heard a contained snuffling and some growls. He thought he saw a pair of red eyes glittering back at him, but they soon vanished. He turned to look, but once again saw nothing. His heart was hammering and it took several minutes to calm it, but he did overcome his terror to think clearly. All throughout the temple Shane had gotten the feeling that he was being followed by someone or something, but the creature never revealed itself and Shane had continued on, hoping it was only his imagination. 

Only this time he was positive that something was in the room with him. The thought filled him with terror and chilled him to the bone. He didn't want to imagine what kind of horrible, disgusting beast was following him, what kind of weapons it had or anything else about it. Glittering red eyes was enough to terrify him. Shane turned and raced toward the wall, shoving his ocarina back into place. He caught hold of the vines and hoisted himself up. He was several feet in the air when there was the sound of running feet and something clawed at his leg.

Shane felt pain searing through his calf; it was so powerful he lost his grip on the vines and fell back to the ground, found himself on his back, looking up into the fearsome, noble face of a gray wolfos. The creature grinned at him, its tongue lolling out of its mouth, razor sharp teeth gleaming. The boy cried out in fear and scrambled to get away. The wolfos let out a vicious howl and slashed at him. 

Its claws found its mark, cutting deep into the flesh of his skin. Shane gasped and held his arm. He felt the horrifying warmth of blood oozing between his fingers, but he had no time to worry about that because the wolfos was coming at him again, swinging its huge, clumsy paw. It hit a direct blow across the boy's face, leaving large, bloody slashes over his smooth, young skin.

Once more it dove at him, snarling and growling and snapping its teeth. It lunged, clawed at his shoulders and was able to bite down into his collar bone.

Shane screamed again and fumbled with his knife as the wolfos knocked him to the ground and came at him with glittering white teeth. Terror overwhelmed the boy: he was going to die. What had he been thinking coming in here without a sword? What had he been thinking ever leaving Hyrule Castle? This was too much for him. It was over his head! 

"_F-father_…" he thought, "_I know you can't hear me, but I'm really scared right now…I'm afraid to die. I'm so sorry…you're right, Lily should have been the boy. I've failed you in every single way up to this point, and I'm so sorry. I don't want to be afraid any more, but…I just wasn't born to deal with these kinds of things like you were._"

Things abruptly became very peaceful. The wolfos was lunging at him but the world around Shane shut down and was silent, gradually spinning and spinning until everything was faded and unreal, every movement was in slow motion as the monster came at him and Shane cringed away. The Wolfos' growling died down, the haunting bird cries disappeared and Shane was alone. He could imagine vividly, his young father walking confidently through the very courtyard he was in now, and it shamed him to think of what Link would say to his son if he could see him now. It was as if he could hear Link's voice.

_What are you doing son? Get up._

"_I'm sorry, Father, I just can't do it_."

_What are you talking about? Of course you can_

_"No, I can't."_

"_I know you're afraid right now Shane, but you've got to remember who you are. I'm your father, some of my strength _is_ in you, I promise._

"_I don't feel it. I've never seen it_."

_Do you remember when I first taught you how to break a horse, and then you broke Darkness? You were so afraid that day, I could see it in your eyes, but I knew you could do it. _

"_That was a lot different_."

_Just listen. Remember, Darkness bucked you off, and your mother wanted you to stop and let me ride him first, but you wouldn't listen to her. You got up Shane, and that's how I know you're strong, because no matter how many times you fall down you get back up. You've got the exact same stuff in you that Lily and me have, but you use it differently. You're strong, Shane, it's just a different kind of strength, but that doesn't mean it's not just as good. Remember, you broke Darkness._ _I didn't do it, I didn't help you, you broke Darkness by yourself, you can do this too, you've just got to get up and face it._

Suddenly something snapped inside of Shane. Link's words, although not real, were so true and the aroused something so strong inside of him that it was terrifying. Shane realized he was still afraid, that he still wanted to run, but he could not find it in himself to turn from his foe. Instead he jumped up with a speed he'd never known that he had, pulled the knife from his belt and pointed it at the wolfos. "Stay back, you demon." He snarled.

The wolfos returned a growling reply of its own and didn't back down. It went down on all fours and circled around and around the boy, eyeing him with its dangerous eyes, saliva drooling off its tongue and from its mouth. 

"I will not be your dinner!" Shane screamed, his voice trembled. All the rage inside of him was alive and powerful, beating against him and shouting to be released. Following that instinctive anger he jumped at the wolfos, diving in towards it, head and shoulders first. He hit as strong as he could up against the creature's ribcage, knocking it back.

The wolfos howled, outraged by his defiance and danced back and forth around him, howling and snarling and lashing out at him. Shane relied on his instincts to duck and dodge and shy away from the attacks of the claws and teeth. He slashed when it was prudent and stabbed when it was beneficial. He rolled away from the monster and circled across from it, his knife dripping with thick, cranberry-colored blood. His own blood was smeared over his face, across his clothes and chest, it oozed from his cuts and wounds, burned in his eyes, but he ignored it and as the wolfos stood up again on its hind legs, Shane rushed toward it, pressing himself in against its furry, warm body. He forgot for a moment about everything and everyone else in the world. It was just him and the wolfos.

His knife found soft flesh in the upper flank of the creature. Its powerful jaws clamped down on his arm. They danced together, back and forth, back and forth, holding one another in their arms, the wolfos snapping in the boys face, the dark-haired hylian struggling to find a foot hold, his lips curled back to show his own flawless teeth. He flung the wolfos to the side and leapt after it, wrestling it to the ground and fighting to stab its heart. He roared with rage as it clawed up and down his back and fisted his own hand in its fur. "I'll kill you!" he screamed, sitting astride it. They rolled across the grass, the wolfos winding up on top as they neared the moat.

Shane shoved the wolfos off of him and scuttled after it, his head tilting and his vision blacking out. He was losing so much blood, he was becoming so weak, and yet he knew he had to win. He had to do it for his sister. He swung his knife hand one last time and the tip of it delved into the wolfos' chest, burying itself deep in the heart. The dark red blood spurted around the wound, blasting with such force it stung when it hit Shane across the face.

The monster howled in agony and dropped to its side, panting and writhing and growling as it died. It looked balefully at the boy who had killed it and cried to the moon one last time before it dropped its muzzle and went reluctantly to eternal sleep, blood oozing and clotting on its fine, gray fur, staining it immediately.

As soon as Shane was sure the wolfos was dead he also dropped to the ground, his head finding a morbid pillow on the wolfos stomach. He wheezed and fought for breath. Every part of his body was in pain and his lungs were on fire. His wounds were burning and stinging, he could barely keep his grip on his knife and his eyelids drooped tiredly. He felt the wolfos beneath him, dead, and knew he had to get away. He crawled from the carcass, moving painfully toward the vine-covered wall. Above him the skulltula were rejoicing in his demise. He dropped his knife, unable to hold it any more and twined his fingers around a small plant. In his effort to keep moving he uprooted it.

There was a whisper and a melodious voice, a pink spark drifted past his sight and he looked up into the sweet, small face of a very tiny girl. She was barely clad and every inch of her was pink, but she had a tender, compassionate look in her small, opal eyes. The fairy reached out and touched Shane on the nose, said something in another language.

Her words were soft and kind, though he couldn't understand them. They were tolerant and filled with understanding, and as soon as she touched him every part of his body went utterly numb. He no longer felt pain or hunger or nausea, he was practically asleep in the arms of his mother. He closed his eyes to listen to the tiny voice and to absorb the peace. When he opened them again she was gone. The wounds on his body had been repaired, the agony was gone and only the rips and stains on his tunic remained. 

Standing up carefully, Shane looked around for where the wandering fairy had gone, but he didn't even see a trace of pink. He glanced at the corpse of the wolfos, just to make sure it was dead, then he wiped his knife on the grass, put it away, and started scaling the wall. 

Shane put his knife away as he entered a new room and looked around. He'd just battled through hours of different puzzles and monsters, as well as various illusions, and now he was feeling tired and frustrated. He took out a map he'd found locked in a chest and tried to determine where he was. According to the map there was a chest in the room just ahead of him.

At last he went to door on the other side of the room and entered. Everything looked peaceful enough. It was a little darker than some of the rooms he'd come from, entirely made of stone, and there was a large wooden chest in the center, sort of perched up on a dais. Shane relaxed, not sensing any danger, and moved forward nonchalantly. He discovered that the chest was locked, checked to see if he had any keys left. When he realized he didn't he had work for several minutes to break the lock using whatever methods it took. Fortunately the lock was rusty and broke quickly. Shane pushed the lid back and looked cautiously inside.

Laying at the bottom of the old chest was a bow. It was crafted out of a shiny, green wood and had intricate designs burned into it. The grip was smooth and easy to hold. He lifted it up, discovered with amazement that it was much lighter than it looked and that the string was perfectly strong and unaffected by time. It seemed a little waxy, but not slick enough to slip out of his fingers. He looked at the patterns in the wood. It read: Woodsman's Bow in ancient Hylian tongue. 

With the bow was a fine leather quiver which had been dyed green to match the weapon and there were ten or fifteen sleek, sharp arrows with good quality fletching. Shane mounted one arrow on the bow and aimed across the room, shot it and it stuck fast in the door. He grinned. At last, after wandering for hours without so much as a club, he had a sophisticated, dangerous weapon. All of Link's archery lessons were actually going to pay off. 

Still smiling, Shane put on the quiver and attached the bow to his back, then crossed the room to retrieve his arrow. 

Suddenly metal bars came down around the door, locking Shane in, an icy wind swept through the room, almost blowing his hat right off his head. An eerie laughter rang around him and a cold voice said cruelly "So, little boy, do you think you can use that?"

Old fears rushing back to him, Shane looked around. He couldn't fathom the source of the voice or what it wanted, but he was more afraid than he had been in several hours. It had been all day since he'd heard another voice, the common monsters he'd been pitted against had thus far been nothing but mindless beasts, and other than the wandering fairy that had helped him, Shane had seen no sign of intelligent life in the temple. However, he remained considerably calmed since he now had a suitable weapon that didn't include close combat.

On the other side of the room a shadow move, turned like in a dance and a ghost appeared. It appeared to be female but Shane couldn't really be sure because its face was a black mist and it had a dark blue cloak wrapped about itself and a hood drawn up over its shining eyes. In one hand it held a torch alit with blue fire. "Over here child. Yes, it was me who spoke, and furthermore I asked you a question, boy."

Shane had a little trouble finding his voice, more out of confusion than out of fear, "What? Oh, well, I, uh, I think I can use it. Who are you?"

The apparition drifted closer and gave a little bow, "I am the Great Madame Sion Poe, the only sibling left of the poe sisters."

"The Poe Sisters?"

"Yes. I had four older sisters once, but thirty years ago another young man, a great deal like you, also entered our temple. He killed all four of my sisters as well as the master of this temple. Sadly, I alone was left alive." 

"The Hero of Time." Shane nodded, deciding it wouldn't be a very good idea to reveal his relationship to Link.

"That was he. Do you know this Hero of Time?" Sion looked at him suspiciously.

Shane shrugged and tried to look careless but put one hand on his knife, "I've heard of him—he's famous for what he did."

"Oh, yes, yes," Sion laughed, "he's famous among those dead as well, boy. Well no matter. The matter at hand is you, of course. You're the impudent child who's been going through our lovely temple, destroying whatever you come up against. It is in my orders to put an end to your impudence."

The boy tried to smile. "Me? I haven't been doing anything. I'm just running an errand for the little Kokiri kids, I'll leave as soon as I'm done."

"Curse those Kokiri punks. So 'the Great Mido' has sent you to be rid of us again, has he? I suppose he promised you something very special. Well, you can forget any prize you're expecting, kiddo, Sion will not let you go a step further."

With that, the little ghost came to life with movement, swinging back and forth, whirling her lantern. She flew at Shane with such speed the boy barely knew what hit him when she struck. He was suddenly away of a sharp, burning pain that went jolting up his arm and into his neck. He strangled a cry and ducked her subsequent blow. 

As if possessed, Sion went at him again, still spinning her lantern; this time she only missed by half an inch as Shane darted away.

"You know, Sion," he said angrily, "you're really making me mad."

The ghost didn't reply, only laughed and vanished. The next thing he knew she was right behind him, coming in for another fatal blow. 

Shane sliced at her with his knife, and much to his surprise the weapon passed right through her body. Sion vanished again, "Those kinds of weapons don't work on me, boy."

Thinking quickly, Shane pulled the bow from his back, keeping his eyes alert to every corner of the room. He nocked another arrow and tried to be ready to fire it. 

Suddenly he was surrounded by Sions. They were in a large circle, all around him, each spinning their own lantern and casting their own blue fire. They laughed, a chilling sound that filled his head and made his heart pound all the harder. He turned around, arrow ready, trying to decide what to do. He shot his weapon and it whirled through the air, struck a ghost right through the chest. Sion laughed and all of the apparitions vanished. "Wrong." She declared, reappearing before him and slapping him across the face with her lantern.

He screamed and put a hand to the burn mark as she vanished again, her cruel laughter humming through his entire body. 

"It's painful, I know, but soon it will all be over, I promise." The other ghosts were back, circling around him, coming closer and closer, laughing and chanting.

Shane ignored the pain in his face and mounted another arrow, looked around once more, mind racing. How could he tell which was which? 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw one ghost move, spin around and an instant later all the others followed suit, spinning around as well. 

"There!" Shane shouted, turned his bow in the direction of the one that had moved first and fired. The arrow whistled across the room, and once again hit home. This time the ghost screamed, the others vanished and Sion was enveloped in her own burning fire. Then she disappeared. For good this time. 

The boy breathed a huge sigh of relief and rubbed his cheek where the burn was, then he turned toward the door as it slid open again, and walked out. He checked his map again to see if he were heading in the right direction, and much to his distress realized that the next room he was faced to enter had a huge, white skull painted on the map. He swallowed hard and walked toward the corresponding door. He found himself next in a small room with another door on the other side. The room was filled with jars and wooden crates and weeds like the wandering fairy had been in. With a short sigh, the boy kicked a jar only to discover a small, heart shaped bottle of medicine inside. After destroying several more of the jars he had four or five bottles, as well as a hunk of break and some water. He sat down against the wall, forcing himself to ignore the gloom around him and treated his own wounds the best he could, then he ate to regain his strength. The temple certainly seemed odd. There was so much danger and mystery inside, but at the same time he found that there was always something, like the medicine, to help him barely squeeze by.

Feeling rejuvenated, Shane got up again and checked his supplies. He had a few weapons, but nothing too devastating, he'd eaten all of the food his mother had sent with him and found a couple dozen more rupees than he'd started with. He'd also found a small glass bottle hidden in the weeds. He was using it to store water, seeing how so much fighting tended to dehydrate. 

Fighting a small fear that was starting to swell inside, Shane walked through the final door. It was pitch black inside the new compartment and deadly quiet. He strained to see but it was in vein. He groped along the wall, looking for something. He heard bars close over the door behind him and panicked. He was locked in a very dark, very cold room. What if he never got out? What if there was nothing in here at all and he'd walked straight into a trap? He felt his blood turning to ice and he took his bow off again, ready to fight. If only there were something for him to fight in the first place. 

A blinding red light filled the room. Shane saw that he was standing in a very large room with several portraits of Ganondorf hanging from the wall. The red light seemed to burn his eyes and he wanted to shut them but knew better.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" It was the sweetest, silkiest voice he'd ever heard in his life. It made his throat clench, but not with fear, with a different kind of apprehension. 

A young woman was lying on a red couch in the middle of the room. She had creamy skin, long black hair and was dressed all in red. Her eyes were silver without a pupil and her lips were crimson. She smiled, revealing long, sharp teeth. Shane found he couldn't stop staring at her. He barely was able to speak, "Who the heck are you?"

"I am the mistress of this temple. My Lord Argoka'shomen put me in charge here. And who exactly are you?"

Shane found it a little strange that something so vibrant and strange should be running a mysterious, dusty temple like this one, but he let that thought go as he looked at her. He had absolutely no intention of revealing his name or anything about himself. This was obviously the boss spirit of the temple and if she got away and returned to tell her master about him Shane didn't know what would happen. "I'm Shane," he said casually, "I live at Lon Lon Ranch with my parents. I really don't want to be here, you know. I'm really pretty afraid of things like you."

The boy clamped his hand over his mouth, horrified by all the words that had just slipped. He hadn't meant to tell her anything, especially not that he was afraid. He'd never told anyone else as much, why this creature? Shane was fairly certain that she had drawn the information out of him somehow.

"Shane? What a delightful little being you are. And what brings a simple farm boy like you here, to my humble home."

Shane fought to keep his tongue under control, struggling with ever fiber of his body to conceal the information, but it simply spilled out like everything else. He found himself walking toward her, unable to stop, feet moving without his permission. "My father sent me to rescue my sister from the Gerudo thieves. I'm here because I have to prove myself to the Kokiri so they'll take me to the Deku Tree."

"Deku Tree?" The woman thought a moment before smiling, "Ah, you're here to destroy me."

Shane was right next to her now, he could look straight into her eyes and her hot breath was on his face. He tried to move but was utterly frozen. His body simply wouldn't do what he told it, and he was sure that it wasn't an affect of fear.

Well, child," she petted his hair tenderly, "you're not the first to try it. Thousands have attempted to kill me, but none have ever succeeded. I know who walked through this temple before you-the Hero of Time-I never met him, but I'm quite certain that if we had met he would have met his end. He had not enough skills to kill me."

The boy had to bite his tongue until it bled not to say something that might insinuate that Link was his father. He stared up into her silver eyes, trying to break whatever spell she had on him, but it was entirely useless. He couldn't control his muscles at all; a small string of saliva was oozing from his gaping mouth and he couldn't wipe it away, the monster was petting his hair like he was a small, adorable animal, but he couldn't back down out of her reach.

She purred, "However, something about you is so kindred to him. Hm. Perhaps I should look into your thoughts."

Sharp, excruciating pain zapped through Shane's skull. His vision was completely clouded by her form, his body felt like it was tied up with tight, binding cord; he fought to move, to escape the pain, but some terrifying power held him in place as pain seared through his brain, like the monster had shoved her hand in through his ear and was digging through his mind. The pain went on for what felt like years, Shane's terrifying scream filled the air, awakening the Keese in the ceiling so that they flew around, agitated by the sound. The boy went on struggling and thrashing back and forth violently to get away, but it was futile and soon his muscles began to weaken, his knees buckled and he could hardly stand; the terrifying power held him in place.

All at once the pain went away. He could see again, but everything was still blurry.

"You're his son!" the monster screeched. "Of course! I should have seen this coming! You're here for the Pendant! You want to save your sister! The Hero can't fight and so he sends his child—oh, what a Hero Daddy is, eh, Little Boy?" She caught a fistful of his hair and tilted his head back, her face hovering millimeters from his, "Well I shall enjoy playing with you until you die, and then I shall send what is left of you home to your father so that he may see that his foolishness has caused him to lose both of his children."

The invisible bonds around him were released. Shane found that he could move again, in spite of his pain and fatigue. He clenched his fist around his bow and jumped back away from her as she stood up, dark hair flying like a beautiful medusa.

"Fight me, child!" she shouted, her lovely voice suddenly dark and twisted, "I shall kill you!" Her eyes turned a dark, bloody red, her face contorted to reveal the features of a horrifying monster: long, wicked teeth, a blunted nose and a ragged face. Her body remained the same aside from her hands. Her fingers stretched and grew out until they were long white claws. Her dark, sinister laugh surrounded him.

She was coming at him now, eyes burning like fire. 

Shane wanted to scream and run away but he held his ground, leveled an arrow at her and shot. It struck her right in the shoulder. The monster howled and ripped it out, a strange fizzing sound filled the air. She slashed at him with her right hand, slicing a good sized cut in his arm. He rolled away, turned and shot again, skillfully pulling two more arrows from the quiver and shooting her with them.

Her rage-filled cry made the stones of the temple tremble and his head felt like it was coming apart, but Shane ducked another one of her attacks, felt her nails barely nick his arm and shred the sleeve of his tunic. He was worried. His attacks didn't seem to be doing enough. He didn't have a sword, how could he kill her without something stronger. She was fast enough to move so that his arrows missed any vital spots on her body. If only he could make her stop moving somehow.

An idea struck him. Shane sprinted past her, ramming his shoulder against her as he went, causing her to stumble a little. He reached into his pocket and took out a Deku nut. He threw it down hard in front of her, creating a blinding flash that stunned the monster momentarily, then he pulled another arrow at, aimed for her chest and shot.

The arrow hit just like it was supposed to, and the fizzing sound grew louder. The witch screamed holding the place. Her face was distorted with rage, her eyes were blood red as she flew at him again, cackling, "You cannot destroy me, child, I shall live forever!"

The fear was becoming overwhelming. Shane felt it growing in his chest like a darkness that would swallow his heart. What would he do if this really didn't work? How could he defeat her? He shoved the dismal thoughts back and pulled out another Deku nut, flung it at her face so that it struck her right in the forehead and flashed brightly. She held her eyes and stepped back screaming.

Shane drew his knife, dashed at her, his heart beating loudly. He jumped up and stabbed down into her neck, touched down on the ground again and slashed across her stomach, tearing her clothes. He cut again and again and again, stabbing, slashing, slicing and hacking. The woman cowered, crying out in agony. 

One last time he fixed an arrow on his bow, drew back and aimed right at her face. Her eyes had faded back to silver and she was staring at him like a helpless animal. "Shane." She whispered in her beautiful voice, "Come with me and we'll-"

"Don't try your tricks on me, vixen!" he released the arrow and it hit right between the eyes, her head exploded in an aura of red, a blood curdling, high pitched shriek wailed around him, sending shivers up and down his spine. In another instant her body was lying decapitated and motionless on the floor, twitching just slightly. 

Shane's breath was ragged as he put his bow and knife away, his chest was heaving and he could taste blood in his mouth. His eyes felt like they were on fire. He stepped away from her, each foot heavy like a stone.

In the middle of the room a blue light shimmered and grew. A peaceful hum filled the air, quieting Shane's still pounding blood. He made his way toward it, not sure what drove him other than he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. The moment he was standing in the circle of shining blue, he felt relaxed and all his pain and weariness went away. He tilted his head back, felt his strength restored, and before he knew it he was lifting off the ground and being carried away into darkness.

Shane touched down just outside the temple, looked around carefully at the woods. A Kokiri boy was sitting on a nearby stump looking bored and tired. When he noticed Shane he jumped up, smiling widely, "Did you do it? Did you destroy the evil?"

"It's gone." Shane agreed.

Whooping for joy, the boy jumped into the air, pumping his fist, "I'll go tell Mido, you wait here, Hero."

The boy's nickname for him troubled Shane. Did he really think he was a hero? A new thought struck him. Would all the Kokiri consider him a hero now that he'd defeated the spirit in the temple? He glanced back at the temple uncertainly. One thing he was sure about: he was glad to be out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Sword of Fire

Shane looked down at the Pendant of Courage. It was nothing but a small, smooth, round emerald that sparkled mysteriously. The word Courage was engraved in the stone and there were swirls of white throughout its translucent surface, making it look a little like a green pearl. Shane had it tied around his neck for safekeeping. For some reason it really _did_ make him feel braver. He wondered at its powers and thought back to what the Deku Tree had said.

As promised, Mido had taken Shane to see the tree, and the little Kokiri leader had actually seemed cheerful about it. The Deku Tree wasn't as big as Shane had suspected. It looked like it was probably only twenty or thirty years old, fat, but only just a little taller than Shane was. It had a happy, youthful face and lots of new foliage. It had spoken plainly with him.

"Shane," the Deku Tree had said, "you have accomplished something far greater than you realize."

At these words Shane had kicked at the ground a little; he felt ashamed of the cowardice he felt and wanted nothing more than to conquer it. "Thank you sir."

"From this day forward you shall be heralded as a hero alongside your father—in the Kokiri hearts at least."

"Please sir, I didn't do anything too heroic."

"You defeated a great evil that would have slowly destroyed the beautiful forest around you. Were it not for you Shane, the Kokiri children might have become extinct in only a matter of years."

"I just did what I had to—I knew it was right so I did it."

"And still you insist you are not a hero? Well I think that as you continue you will find that the justice you feel in your heart will serve your purpose. When you set out to make things right you are already thinking like a hero, and whether you succeed or fail it is what's found in your heart that makes you great or small." There had been a flash of green light after that and the pendant had fallen from one of the trees branches. "Take this, Shane the Hero, perhaps in it you will find the courage that your own mind lacks."

After that the Kokiri had thrown a small celebration, bringing forward gifts and food for Shane and treating him like a member of the royal family. They'd given him rupees and magic beans, another glass bottle with a fairy trapped inside. Diri had made a fine slingshot for him and Miri presented him with a vial of red potion for when he was weary. He'd also received a bundle of arrows, a handful of Deku Seeds for his slingshot, and last but not least, Mido had given him a large, steel shield with intricate decorations painted on it in blue red and gold. "It's a Hylian shield." Mido had explained. "Once one of your kind traveled through these woods: he needed food and shelter and he gave us this in return. He knew it was too big for even the largest of us, but he thought we might be able to use it somehow."

By the time the celebration had ended it was very dark at and the Kokiri had fixed a place for Shane to sleep in an abandoned tree house. He'd fallen asleep quickly and rested well, dreaming good dreams about being reunited with his sister and parents. 

In the morning the Kokiri girls handed him a wallet fat with forest berries, nuts, roots, home-baked bread, cheese and even a little dried meat, then they had shown him the way out of the forest and said farewell to him. 

Now it was almost noon and Shane was still trudging across Hyrule field. The heat was overpowering and the walk was long and difficult. His new shield and equipment were heavy, making his progress even more difficult. The sun was as high as it could get in the sky and Shane began to sweat heavily. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he had to find Darkness soon or the rest of the journey would take weeks. Several times he stopped to play Epona's song, but each time there was nothing but the hollow echo of the sweet notes. 

With or without the horse, Shane knew he had to go on. He'd return to Hyrule Castle, hopefully while it was still day light, and find Darkness if he could. If not he might have enough money to buy a new horse, and if he still didn't he thought he could probably make it home to use Starlight or Wind Walker. Not Epona though. She was too old for this. 

Just a little past noon Shane sat down under a tree to eat. He drank some water and ate some of the meat, bread and cheese with a few berries. He didn't like nuts or roots very much so he decided to save those just in case he found himself starving to death. Then he sat back and took out the ocarina.

He looked the instrument over carefully. He never had found out what had transported him to the woods in the first place, but since then nothing he played had had any strange effect on him, and he couldn't remember the tune Vash had played. He thought that maybe if he could he'd be able to get back to the Temple of Time somehow. 

Shane put the instrument to his lips and began to play softly, a melody his mother had sang when he was younger. It gave him comfort and filled him with peace, took him back to the days that were easy and simple and carefree, back when an unruly horse or stubborn cow was the worst of his problems. Those days seemed so far behind him and suddenly he wondered if he would ever get back to them.

By chance he opened his eyes to look around him. Hyrule field was so peaceful and so primitive. It didn't hold any deadly secrets as long as the sun was up and the sky was blue. He had traveled across it many times with his father, but never on foot. The peace was a nice change from the horrible temple he'd just survived.

The boy stopped playing and stared. Out on the horizon was a cloud of dust. It seemed to be moving toward him, a quick, soundless puff of uncertainty.

Shane tried to decide what was best to do. He put his ocarina away and tucked the Pendant of Courage under his shirt. They seemed to be the most valuable things he had. Then he drew his bow and an arrow just in case, remained watchful as the cloud approached. It couldn't be a lone traveler, not with that much dust. Surely it was someone on a horse: maybe the Gerudos had discovered where he was and were coming for him. This time he'd have to fight, and strangely enough, this time he wasn't all that afraid to.

Now the cloud was only a few hundred feet in front of him, getting ever closer. Presently a form took shape from the dust, a man emerged, running like the devil was behind him. Quickly Shane scanned the horizon just to make sure that really wasn't the case. He watched the man coming, saw him slowing down and held his breath. Could this guy be a thief?

The man stopped just beside Shane, running in place. He was short with red hair and a full beard, he was middle aged and looked scraggly and underfed but had a lot of muscle in his legs, was dressed in a non-traditional white tunic with sandals on his feet and his face was very animated, his eyes alive with motion. He spoke very quickly, "Pardon me stranger, I am but a poor wanderer myself, so might I seek shelter from the sun here with you under your tree?"

Shane tried to interpret what the man had said but he had a strange accent and it was difficult to understand. At last he shrugged, "If you want."

The man plopped down beside him, breathing heavily and wiping sweat from his forehead, "I am called the running man, because I run from place to place, never thinking of where I've been or where I'm going; I have no job and no family, but I don't need to because I am content to run. You may ask, as many have, 'Oh, running man, wherefore do you run?' and the answer, my boy, the simple answer, is that I run because my father before me also ran, as did his father, and his father before him. Indeed, my father did die running. He ran until the day he died. What do you think about that, Lad?"

Shane felt a little confused by the man's rapid pace of story telling, "That's interesting…I guess. So do you intend to die running too?"

"Ah, Little One," the man shook his finger at Shane, "we cannot surely run all of our lives, whether there be something to run for or something to run from, we must at some point stop to face our fears, and I of course have my own fears to be chased by, but I always move forward with courage."

The answer didn't explain very much, and although it did have some significance to Shane's own plight, he didn't see how it answered his question at all. "Wouldn't it be faster to ride a horse, sir?"

"Horses are indeed very powerful and very speedy animals, Lad, but unfortunately they are beasts who must be maintained and fed, and riding does not provide the same satisfaction for me as it does to run. Yes, I did ride once, but as I was riding I was also cheating my father and also myself from what we both loved most. I quit the horse, Lad, and now I run."

Shane couldn't think of anything else to say. The man seemed quite mad with heat and so maybe it was best to leave him alone.

The running man didn't share the same sentiments, "You have a very nice, shield, my boy, very nice indeed, and it would in fact catch a very pretty penny at the Hyrule market place."

"Why would I sell my shield?"

"I notice, lad, that you have, in fact, no sword, and so naturally you cannot be a swordsman, which are the only types of people who have any use for cumbersome, heavy shields. Tell me, my young friend, how did a lad such as you come to acquire such a beautiful shield?"

"It was a gift."

"Ah! I see. But you have no sword on your personage?" The running man looked at him with twinkling eyes.

"No, not yet, I'm hoping to buy one."

"So you are a swordsman, my wandering, wretched waif? Did your parents perhaps cast you aside in hopes that you would fight and become great because you look like the great Hero of Time? My father met the Hero, you see, back when the Hero was a very small boy. Yes, he sold him a mask that gave my father unmatchable speed, but alas, that great mask was lost somewhere in the valley of the Gerudo thieves. My father always missed it very badly. So Little Hero, where do you intend to find a sword?"

The man's speed of changing topic was dizzying to Shane, "I uh, don't know. I thought I could get one at the Hyrule Marketplace."

"Perhaps, perhaps," the running man bobbed his head, "unfortunately though the swords of Hyrule's market are often of cheap quality but expensive pricing. If you want a truly good sword, Little Hero, I suggest you visit the Gorons on Death Mountain. They forge most beautiful blades, but aside from those there is also one very good, very strong blade in the mountains. It does not, of course, rival the Master Sword, but it is of better quality than all other swords. You should seek it, Little hero, you should seek the Blade of Fire." Suddenly the man stood up, "Well my good lad, I am sufficiently rested and thus I will leave you to your own peaceful respite; do not forget the words I've spoken—run without purpose if you please, but never be afraid to face the cause that makes you run." With that he was off, running away again, into the horizon until he was no more than a distant cloud of dust.

It would have taken Shane another day to get to Hyrule Castle, but fortunately he met a group of traveling merchants on their way to set up a temporary shop in the marketplace and he was able to pay them to give him a ride on the back of their cart. As soon as he was in the walls of the town he went to work looking for Darkness, first searching the courtyard of the temple where he'd left him. The horse wasn't there though, and no one had any information, so Shane continued searching the city, asking everyone he met about his stallion. When several hours had passed and he still hadn't seen or heard any sign of his horse he began to feel angry. Whoever Vash was he'd obviously stolen his horse. Shane should have known better than to trust him: everyone knew Sheikah were extinct. He made up his mind that when he found the horse thief he'd beat him to within an inch of his life.

With sense of despair Shane realized he'd probably never see Darkness again. He was a fine horse of the best, purbred quality, and very attractive, by now Vash had probably already sold him. 

The teenager looked toward the guardhouse near the front gate. Was it too much to hope that the soldiers could help him? Shane knew he didn't actually have time to keep looking for his lost horse, but he didn't want to give up just yet. So, trying to look as official as possible, the boy marched toward the guardhouse and walked in without knocking.

There were three soldiers inside, sitting around a card table, and he must have startled them because they all jumped a little when he came in. 

A young soldier with a kind face smiled at him, "Good afternoon, Lad. Can we help you?"  
"I think someone stole my horse," Shane said eagerly, "do any of you know anything about a big black stallion? He's about this tall and everything's black except for the little white star on his forehead.

The soldiers looked at each other. "Stole your horse? Well, there's a young man out back with a horse like that: he told us he's keeping the horse until its owner returns. Did you perhaps leave your horse with someone?"

Shane was a little shocked by the news and he wasn't even sure what to say for a moment. At last he stuttered, "Yeah, maybe. I guess I sort of did."

"Well you can go around and take a look." The soldiers went back to their game. 

For a moment Shane looked at them, then made his way to the back door, stepped out cautiously. He was aware that this could be a trap: Vash could be working for his enemies for all he knew. The boy put his hand on his bow, ready to pull it if he needed to. 

There was a small yard behind the guardhouse, a few sparse trees and a bare, dirt ground. A three horse stable was built at the other end of the yard. Darkness was standing their, black fur glimmering healthily in the sun, a red blanket tossed over his sturdy back. His saddle was hanging on a nearby peg with his bridle and reigns. The stallion tossed his head and whinnied when he saw Shane. 

Grin spreading over the boy's lips he ran to his horse, petting his nose and whispering to him. He checked the stallion for any anomalies, felt along his neck and back, lifted his hooves carefully and then, satisfied that the horse was in perfect condition, he scratched behind his ears and stroked the thick muscles in his neck.

"You didn't think I'd let anything happen to your horse while you were in the temple of the forest, did you?"

Shane spun around to behold Vash standing confidently under a tree, grinning. 

"So," he came forward a step or two, dusty hair shining and purple eyes dancing, "did you get the first pendant? And the bow?"

"Who are you and what do you want?" Shane snapped. "What did you do to me?"

"I already told you who I am, Shane, I'm Vash, the grandson of Impa. All I want is to help you, isn't the fact that I protected your horse while you were gone proof of that?"

"I guess so. But I still don't understand what you did or how it worked." Shane looked at him suspiciously, "I think you should explain yourself."

Vash advance a little further, unbothered by the threatening tone Shane was utilizing. He shrugged, "Guess you didn't know you were carrying the Ocarina of Time."

Shane stared, "What did you say? Are you telling me _I've_ got _the_ Ocarina of Time? That's impossible, no one knows where it went, it disappeared!"

"Did it? Didn't the Hero of Time just take it with him when he went to Termina? Where do you suppose it went from there? Why would he give it away to anyone…unless he was giving it to his son?"

Still stunned, Shane pulled the Ocarina out from where it was kept in his tunic pocket; he looked at it intensely, trying to decide if that were true. "There's no proof that this is the ocarina my father used. And even if it is, why would he entrust it to me?"

Vash shrugged again; he was face to face with Shane now, "I don't know the answers to all of that Shane, all I knew when I first confronted you was that you had to go to the Forest Temple and retrieve the pendant and the bow, and that I would never be able to convince you to go by my own powers."

Shane only stared at him.

"However you're quest isn't over yet: there are still two pendants left before you'll be able to face Argoka'shomen, and now that I've got your attention I shouldn't have to trick you ever again." He looked seriously at Shane, "The next pendant is held by the Gorons, but like the Kokiri they aren't just going to give it to you, you'll have to prove that you deserve it. I'm sure they'll ask you to go into the Fire Temple, and if you do you're going to need the Blade of Fire. Do you understand?"

"The Blade of Fire?" the running man had mentioned that same sword but he hadn't really explained what it was.

"That's right. The Blade of Fire is a mythological blade, no one knows who forged it, only that it was an ancient Goron. The legend goes that he was forging it for a Goron warrior, but the rest of the legend is lost. They didn't let your father have it, but he already had the Master Sword, and I doubt he even knew about the Blade of Fire. Now listen," Vash put his hand on Shane's shoulder, "if you want to defeat Argoka'shomen and save your sister you have got to get that blade. It's second only to the Master Sword, and since there's no hope of us getting our hands on _that_ without going out for the Spiritual keys, we'll have to settle with the Blade of Fire. Are you ready?"

Shane forced a smile, "Of course." He didn't feel ready though. He was secretly waiting for the quest to get easier when he knew it would only get more difficult. Now his mind was filled with quandaries. How could he convince the Gorons to give him their legendary sword?

Apparently Vash was unaware of Shane's uneasiness. He nodded, walked to Darkness and began preparing him to ride. He said to Shane over his shoulder, "You'll need food and a lot of water, do you have that?"  
"I've got a full bottle of water and food to last for another day or two. Is that enough?"

"Refill the bottle when you reach the Goron city, you can't risk getting dehydrated." Shane finished saddling Darkness. "Get moving now, we're running out of time."

It was an hours ride from Hyrule city to Kakariko village. From there Shane had to go up the mountain. He managed to convince the guard at the gate that he was on official business and then he rode up the mountain trail. The pass was dangerously narrow, rocks and boulders made it even more treacherous, and there were tektites crawling out of the walls, jumping at him from all directions. Shane didn't have time to worry about the monsters, he simply kept his pace up and ran them over, crushing them under Darkness' hooves. Vash's words had made him feel panicky and hopeless. He was running out of time. His sister's life was still at stake, and his own honor and respect from the people around him, including his own father, was on the line. He rode up the pass quickly, doing his best to keep from falling. 

By nightfall he could see a faint light ahead of him; he was weary and cold, but the light gave him hope and so he spurred Darkness forward. Much to his surprise the light came from inside a large cave. He halted Darkness at the mouth and peered inside. He could hear voices inside and there was the distinct smell of dirt. Cautiously he urged his horse forward and they ventured warily into the dim light. Shane called, "Hello? Is anybody here? I'm looking for the Goron City? I need to ask a favor. Hello? My name is Shane, I'm the son of the Hero of Time!"

To his left a large rock moved. It shifted back and forth and then rose up in the darkness, moaning tiredly. Shane stifled a scream and struggled to keep Darkness under control as the horse started and tried to rear up. 

"Who goes there?" Demanded a deep, gravely voice. The rock was moving forward now, it was as tall as Darkness a the shoulder and fat like a boulder, pear-shaped with spindly arms. 

The boy stammered, "I-I'm Shane, the son of the Hero of Time…"

The living boulder gasped and moved suddenly into the light, revealing large, round, purple eyes and a bald head. Its flesh looked unexpectedly soft and was a darkened tan color. "The Hero of Time? Are you referring to our brother, Link?"

Shane stared at the creature, decided it was safest to simply agree, "Y-yes, of course: Link, the Hero of Time, wielder of the Master Sword. Are you a Goron?"

The creature bowed stiffly, "Yes, I am the gatekeeper of Goron city. So it's true? You're Brother Link's son?"

The teenager only nodded. Darkness pawed at the ground and he leaned over to pat his shoulder.

"Well if that's true, I must hurry right away to tell Master Link! You wait here." The goron guard slammed down on his face and curled into a ball. Shane just stared. He started to say something, but before the words were out of his mouth, the Goron started to roll. It gathered some speed and made a lazy turn then disappeared. Shane watched it go, feeling more confused then ever. He spoke gently to Darkness, "Master Link? What did he mean? Could my father be here right now? That's impossible with his arm broken the way it is." Darkness merely nickered and tossed his mane. Shane sighed and sat broodingly in the shadows, waiting impatiently for the Goron to return. He uncorked his bottle and drank a little water to soothe his dry throat, but it was warm and didn't satisfy very well.

It was approximately ten minutes before the guard reappeared, followed by a number of curious on-lookers, all of who were murmuring and looking inquisitive. "Master Link says he'd like to meet you to see if you're really who you say you are."  
Shane nodded, "Of course," he started to urge Darkness forward.

"Sir," The guard spoke up again, "Goron city isn't really built for horses, but if you want, I can take care of it for you until you come back."

This time Shane was reluctant. He'd just gotten Darkness back and he didn't want to leave again so abruptly, but he nodded and dismounted, smoothing his hand over the horse's shoulder. "He needs water and some food, if you have it."  
"All we have to eat are rocks, and I don't think horses like those. But there's a nearby spring. I can take him there to get a drink." The Goron looked a little nervous, and as Shane once again studied the creature's structure he imagined it would be difficult for him to swim.

"Thank-you," Shane said, and added without meaning to, "be careful."

The extra words of compassion seemed to brighten the guard goron's feelings, "Yes sir, I will be."

Shane was lead through the city of the Gorons. It was an enormous place, built in a dome shape with multiple levels. It was made entirely of stone and there was a mass of gorons gathered on the floor, staring up at him and pointing. They seemed very excited to see him and he heard one or two whisper, "Now we'll be safe."

After a ten or fifteen minute walk, escorted by a parade of slow-walking gorons, Shane arrived on the lower-most level and was taken to an open door with a soft rug spread in front of it. He looked up nervously at the pot-shaped statue of a goron as another of the strange, rock-like creatures called into the doorway, "Master Link, we've brought your guest."

A booming voice that shook the cave answered, "Bring him in!"

The voice was so loud and so strong it made Shane tremble. What kind of mighty creature could bellow so enormously? It obviously wasn't his father, but in that case, why would a goron be named Link? He felt the other gorons pulling at his tunic and he was hustled into the new room. It was brightly lit with torches, and decorated with Goron artwork. There were a few tables and jars and another rug on the floor but all in all it didn't look like a very comfortable place to live. 

In the center of the room stood the tallest Goron Shane had seen yet. He was a head or two taller than the boy, built like a brick wall and had a scar or two on his body, his wrists were clamped with golden bracelets and he had long, strange, pale hair. He was smiling and the smile only deepened when he saw Shane. "Welcome!" he boomed; "I must admit I had my doubts when they told me my own cousin was here to see me, but you do look just like your father." 

"I'm Shane." The teenager said shyly.

Link pounded the boy on the back, knocking the wind out of him and bruising his shoulder blade, "Of course you are! I am Goron leader, Link, I was named after your father when he defeated the Dodongos for my father and became my father's honorary brother. Because of that brotherhood you and I are cousins! I'd know the offspring of my uncle anywhere! And I'd do anything for you, cousin, seeing how your father rescued mine from the fire temple. How can I be of service to you?"

Shane was a little dizzied by the greeting he was receiving. He hadn't expected such a welcome and he definitely didn't know how to respond. This goron acted like he knew Shane, but Shane had never even heard of him, so how could he return the affection he was being shown. He stuttered nervously, "Well, I, uh, I'll get right to the point if you don't mind. My sister has been kidnapped by the Gerudo Thieves and so I-"

Link gasped, "Kidnapped? My sweet cousin? Kidnapped by the desert thieves? Oh blessed heavens, that's horrible news!"

After waiting a little impatiently, Shane continued, "Anyway, my father broke his arm fighting them and so he can't go to get her. I asked the Queen for help but she couldn't, so it's kind of up to me to save my sister. But I need the Pendant of Power to do it, and I was told that you have it."

"Hm. This is indeed a grave matter. A young life hangs in the balance." Link stroked his chin, "Cousin, I would love to help you recover your sister, unfortunately though, I no longer have the Pendant in my possession."

"You don't? What in the world happened to it?"

Several weeks ago our volcano started acting up; it hasn't been active for thousands of years so we all got a little worried that something evil was on the way. I took the pendant into the Fire Temple for safe keeping, but I haven't been able to get in since then; there are monsters everywhere. I suppose I could deal with them myself, but I assumed the pendant was safe, now I'm not sure it is."

Shane's heart sank a little. He had hoped to be equipped with the Pendant of Power and Courage before going into the Fire Temple. He swallowed hard, "Well, I have to go into the temple anyway, I could get it myself."

The goron leader looked at him with interest, "You? What do you need to go into the temple for?"

"Well, that's the other thing. See, I have two requests…the first one is for the pendant, obviously, but I don't have a sword and so far it's been really hard to complete this quest without one."

"Say no more, lad," Link thumped his back again, "I'll have one of my blacksmiths make you a fine sword, made especially for you. How's that?"

The offer was tempting to Shane. He wanted to just take a sword made for him and not worry about the Blade of Fire, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to finish his quest without the mythological sword. He shook his head slowly, "That's not good enough; I'm sorry. I was told that I need the Blade of Fire to complete my task.

A murmur ran through the crowed and Link stared down at him in surprise and uncertainty. Shane felt a little nervousness of his own. 

"The Blade of Fire?" asked Link softly, "Are you sure, lad?"

Shane only nodded.

"That sword was forged for my great, great, great grandfather. He was the only Goron warrior nimble enough to actually wield a sword, so when he died the sword was sealed away. It's a relic of ours now, a symbol of our luck and triumph over hard times. To ask for it is a very bold request, Shane. Are you sure that's what you really need."  
"Listen sir, I don't want to take something from you that's so valuable, so if there were any other way I wouldn't ask for it, but I've been told by multiple people that it's the weapon I need. I'll bring it back if you want me to."

Gravely Link shook his head. "No, cousin, if it is indeed the sword you are to have I have no right to keep it from you." He turned to an attendant, "Bring me the Red Stone."

The goron bowed and turned away. A moment later he was back with a ruby the size of Shane's fist. It was diamond shaped and adorned with spikes of gold. He held it out reverently to his master and Link took it as if it were an egg in his giant hand, looked at Shane with a wry grin, "You may want to leave the room." Then he held the stone up to the light and began to chant. His guttural voice rose and fell like the rain, echoing through the caverns of his kingdom. Shane felt a little hot. He tugged at the collar of his tunic and wiped his forehead. The room seemed to be heating up.

Suddenly the floor shook, several stones fell from their place in the ceiling and the room rumbled, drowning out Link's voice. The big goron closed his eyes and his lips kept moving. A crack appeared in the floor and a slab of stone began to slide away right in front of Shane. Blazing heat shot up from the opening and the boy smelled brinstone. His skin felt scorched, his lips parched; they cracked and began to bleed.

Another goron grabbed him roughly by the arm and dragged him out of the room, shouting over the roar, "You'll die if you stay in there with him."

Shane stared in amazement as flames shot up from the gap in the floor, lapping at Links body, engulfing him in bright orange fire. The goron leader stayed calm. His lips had stopped moving and his body was perfectly still. There was a brilliant gleam of read from the dark expanse in the floor and suddenly a long, thin, red hot spike immerged and continued to rise. Soon Shane saw the leather of a sword handle, followed by the twisting, flame-like, magenta hilt and the shocking red orange blade shaft. Soon an entire sword was hovering there in front of Link. It was different hues of red and sparkled like the sun, so bright it hurt Shane's eyes, and it emanated heat. 

Then the gap in the floor was closed again, the flames died down and the heat dissipated. Link reached out and took the sword by the handle; he smiled at Shane.

"Lad, this is the legendary Goron sword, the Blade of Fire."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: The Fire Temple

Shane looked down at his new tunic. It was a dull red and was made of heavy, slick fabric. At Link's instruction he'd stripped out of his father's green tunic, tucked it away into a provided rucksack and slipped into the red, Goron Tunic. According to Link it was made from a blend of Dondongo hide and the fibers from the bomb flower, making it fireproof. 

The Goron leader had given the boy the Blade of Fire, as well as a fine, red scabbard to hold it in, with the instructions to 'just take good care of it.' Shane was both reluctant and eager to receive the gift. He was wearied by the idea of having something so important in his possession, but at the same time he'd gone for so long without a sword and had felt so powerless without a decent weapon it thrilled him to hold it up to the light. The blade was long and light in spite of its appearance, the pommel had a long, sharp spike mounted on it, and red-gold metal was coiled around the shaft. Shane could feel its power the moment he touched it.

Now he was standing at the mouth of the entrance of the cave they said would lead him to the Fire Temple. Link was beside him and a host of goron well-wishers were behind him. Shane was breathing hard from the anxiety he felt. The sword on his back felt reassuring and strong, but he could see the red, hazy glow of the fire inside the cave and it filled him with such fear he could hardly stand it. He didn't want to go in. He didn't want to face the monsters or risk falling into some pool of lava. But he knew that he had no other choice.

Link looked down at him, "Shane? Are you afraid?"

The boy looked back up and him and nodded slightly.

The big goron grunted his disapproval, "Fear is the most dangerous enemy you'll have to face today: it's the enemy that can totally obliterate you. If you give in to the taste of your fear you'll never see anyone you love again, including your sister. You'll die here in this temple."

"I understand." Shane said softly.

"It's good to understand, but it's better to be brave. Are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late, I can still go in myself and retrieve the pendant for you."

Setting his jaw with determination, Shane shook his head, "No, I can do this."

"Good," Link clapped a hand on his shoulder, "then I wish you luck. When you come out you'll have taken rank beside your father." 

Trying to understand the words, Shane looked up at him. "I'll be a hero…"

A smile wrinkled the goron's face, "Perhaps." He backed away, "Time to face your fears."

Finally, Shane stepped away from his escort and in a moment he had disappeared into the blackness of the crater, only looking back at the gorons once to smile as he said, "See you soon."

Inside the air was stifling hot and Shane found that it was a struggle to breathe, but much to his amazement, although his new tunic was heavier than the green one he'd been wearing, his body was cool and only slightly warm on the legs and arms. His body demanded water almost immediately but he denied it to himself. He hadn't forgotten to fill it up with fresh water when he'd reached goron city, but he still didn't want to risk running out in the middle of the Fire Temple.

Soon he found himself on a precarious, rickety wooden bridge, swirling pools of lava beneath him. The bridge was broken in the middle, but it looked to Shane like he might be able to leap the distance. Determined not to give up, he got a running start and jumped as far as he could. His chest slammed against the apparatus of the other side of the bridge and he found himself falling, clawed crazily a the wood and found a hand-hold on one of the planks. Below him the lava was bubbling, he could feel the heat, threatening to swallow him. Limbs shaking, Shane managed to haul himself up and sat on his hands and knees panting and gasping. His hands were trembling as he stood up again and he almost fell down his knees felt so weak. Regardless, he kept walking. 

Up ahead he could see a strange statue with an eerie face. Link had described it before sending the boy into the temple and Shane recognized it as the entrance to the fire temple. He stopped and looked down. There was a hole in the ground and the distant floor was pitch black so that Shane couldn't be sure where it really was. He guessed it was a long drop. Holding his breath, he stepped off the edge and fell, his hysterical scream echoing all around him. 

Shane hit the stone floor hard and lay still for several minutes, dazed and pained all through his legs. He couldn't believe how difficult this was already proving to be. Contented to just rest for a moment, Shane closed his eyes and prepared himself to continue.

A familiar, eerie laugh filled his ears. Dreading what he might see, Shane looked up. Flying toward him was a skull with bat wings; it was completely engulfed in flame and its eyes were burning.

With a yelp, Shane leapt up. He'd seen similar things in the Forest Temple, but the fire arching around this creature made it all the more fearsome. The boy hefted his shield off his back and held it up just in time so that the Fire Bubble smacked against it, extinguishing its own flame, then Shane pulled his blade and swung at the creature, slicing it right in two. It fell to the ground, perishing in a cloud of purple smoke. 

After checking to make sure the Fire Bubble was dead, Shane re-sheathed his sword and started forward again. He was in a small room glowing red; ahead of him was a tall stone monolith with three doors, two of which were locked. Tall steps led up to the top of the stage where three torches with haunting faces were lit. Shane walked to the only door he could open and sighed. He opened the door and prepared to go into the fiery world beyond.

Shane sank back against the wall in one of the few darkened corridors in the Fire Temple, popped open his bottle and swallowed some water. He had already used his fairy and his potion and was breathing with difficulty, blood was oozing from his lips and his skin was burned in several areas, long, reddened burns that made him feel sick. There was a deep slice in his right arm and his sword hand was bleeding. He had just come from a huge room filled with lava, the only way across had been to walk across an iron grating floating in the fiery river. Just when he'd thought he was safe though, a screen of flames had shot up behind him and slowly started moving after him. It had been all the teenager could do to run across the grating and escape the flames. By the time he'd gotten out of the room he'd been entirely depleted of strength.

It had been hours since he'd entered the Fire Temple and since then he'd only found himself wandering around and around in a flaming maze, lava always around his ankles monsters coming from all directions. He'd done his best to ward them off, and with his sword it had been easier to defend himself, but he was beginning to tire out. As a child his father had trained him to use a sword, and he'd always thought of himself as being considerably skilled with the weapon, but his skills had never been tested. He had a shield but he forgot to use it sometimes and that cost him some painful wounds. He remembered that the Kokiri had given him a fairy in a bottle, but he didn't want to use it just yet, he could last a few more minutes with out it.

He stood up on shaky legs at last and stumbled wearily into the next room. He stopped and stared. The next room was huge, Fire Keese were flying through the air, reigniting themselves in torches. There was a forest of stone pillars Shane couldn't see a use for. He walked cautiously to go through a pair of pillars. A wall of flames shot up in front of him, almost burning him. Shane shouted and jumped back, almost falling into a second curtain of fire. He stumbled away the dancing flames and looked around, approached another pair of pillars with even, careful steps. Flames shot up, heat blazed in his face, reddening his skin. Shane turned away to a different pair of pillars, trying not to allow despair into his heart. At last he found a passage through and proceeded cautiously. It was difficult making his way through the fiery maze. His clothes got burned, his skin was steamed, his lips cracked and bled from the heat and his vision was dizzy. Keese were constantly attacking from all sides, dive-bombing him, flapping their wings in his face and biting at them. Shane struck them down with his sword, and when he was particularly sick of them he took careful aim with his bow and shot as many as he could. It took him roughly a half hour to wend his way through the maze, barely avoiding being burned to death. He drank more water and still felt thirsty. Sweat was streaming down his face, getting into his eyes, his hair was damp with it and his clothes stuck to his skin. He wanted to remove his tunic and move on shirtless but he knew the atmosphere would scorch his flesh and turn it black immediately. 

Up ahead he saw a small, stone door in the wall. It seemed to mark the end of the maze, but Shane knew better by now than to try to go straight for it. He took a deep breath that burned his lungs and followed his instincts, turning left, then right, right again, another left and right again. Another ten minutes passed before he finally reached the door, ready to collapse. He leaned heavily against it for a moment before opening it and stepping inside. 

Shane found himself in a small, round room. It seemed a little warmer than the room he had just come from and there was a pillar of fire in the center. Behind him steel bars closed over the door he'd come through. Shane went numb in spite of the heat, turned to grip the bars. They were hot and burned his hands. He jumped back, screaming and trying to block out the pain. There was a slight giggle over his shoulder. 

The teenager turned around just in time to see a creature with a round, black body and burning arms and legs leap from the pillar. It stood on one spindly leg and twirled around, small tongues of flame shooting out from its body. Shane could only stare at the strange creature. It spun around a few more times and then, still balanced perfectly on one leg, skated toward Shane, arms flung back, flames creating a mirage of heat around him.

Shane screamed and stepped back just as the Flare Dancer struck him hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground. His entire body went red hot with flames, he writhed miserably on the burning ground and clutched his chest, gasping for breath. He could perceive dimly that the creature was on the other side of the room now, twirling again. Shane forced himself to stand again, drew his sword and attacked. He lashed out furiously, swinging his blade in a bright arc of red. It struck the creatures body and heat flamed up the shaft, over the hilt, down through the handle and up into Shane's arm, wracking his entire torso with pain.

He cried out again, fell back in the fetal position, struggling with the hurt his body was experiencing. When he realized the Flare Dancer was skating again, coming around to attack once more he managed to stand up, but his posture was slouched and his vision was blurry. He hefted his shield in a desperate attempt to defend himself. 

Now, instead of slamming against him, the Flare Dancer sped past him, flailing a fiery arm and striking him across the face, creating a long, severe burn on his face. Shane winced and his hand shot to the spot, he shut his eyes tight and leaned on the wall, listening as the dancer skated around to come back again. He thought a moment. He didn't think his arrows would be any good against the dancer, in fact they'd likely just burst into flame. His sword was of no use as long as the dancer was engulfed in fire. He remembered the spirit in the Forest Temple and how she had reacted when he'd thrown deku nuts in her face. Obviously deku nuts were useless here, but Shane knew that they weren't the only projectile weapon in his arsenal.

The Dancer was on him again, seconds from striking. Shane jumped away nimbly, barely avoiding another corrosive blow. He reached into his wallet where he stored deku nuts and seeds and produced a small bomb, lit it in the pillar of fire and watched carefully as the Dancer came around again. It would require precision and a calm attitude, and of course he wasn't sure if it was what would work, but he was out of ideas, and he wasn't planning to die here. 

When the Dancer was in front of him, and the wick of the bomb had almost expired, Shane flung it with all his might, directly at the black body of the Flare Dancer. The bomb vanished in a sudden flash, leaving the scent of gunpowder. The impact jarred the black body out of its protective fire, leaving it helpless on the floor. Pushing all shock and pain to the back of his mind, Shane drew his sword, leapt on it and sliced downward, directly into the fleshy body.

With a high-pitched, shrill cry the creature darted away, staggering a little so that Shane could tell he had injured it. It wasn't dead yet though. 

The Flare Dancer leapt into the pillar of fire, and in another instant re-emerged, laughing triumphantly, twirling fantastically on one leg. Shane observed its movements, noting the damage he had inflicted and nodded to himself. There was hope for him yet, if he only ignored the agony in his young body he knew he could get through this.

It took three more bombs to finally finish the Flare Dancer, and when the creature had finally fallen, bleeding and screaming, unable to rise to replenish its flame, Shane was utterly exhausted. He pulled the cork from his bottled water and sank down on the chest that had appeared at the far end of the room to have a drink. The water was hot and did little to rejuvenate him though, his body was severely wounded and he had a difficult time keeping his head up, his eyes were watering. He looked himself over, dismayed by the injuries he'd acquired. With a resigned sigh, Shane stood up and shoved the chest open. It was a little heavier and fancier than most of the chests he'd encountered so far, but that did little to boost his spirits.

Inside was a large, stone hammer. It had fascinating, goron decorations up and down the handle and elaborate carvings in the stone. An inscription read in Hylian: Devil's Mallet. Shane allowed himself a smile and tucked it carefully into his belt where it wouldn't hinder his ability to walk, then he stumbled toward the open door, head tilting with strain.

The Son of the Hero peered through the empty darkness. He perceived that he was in a fairly large room and that he was not alone. The door behind him was locked and the new room was the hottest yet. He could see glowing embers just to his right, off the platform he was standing on, and bright pools of lava throughout the chamber. He'd received even more wounds since his battle with the Flare Dancer almost two hours earlier and his stomach was upset so he'd had to stop to vomit several times. He was sure that had something to do with the fumes in the temple. Much to his dismay he'd not encountered any fairies near the big door through which he had just entered, and he was feeling strong hints of fear. Amazingly though, the fear was not overpowering. He knew he just had to keep moving and make the most of whatever came next. 

He looked around again, sighed and took out his map, held it in burning, trembling hands. Yes, this was definitely his destination. He was standing in the room Goron Link had marked as the one he'd left the Pendant of Power in. The only problem was there were no signs of the pendant.

Something hot dripped from above, landed on the center of the map and burned a hole through. It landed on the ground, sizzling. Shane's chest tightened and he looked up, almost jumped back. There were two, bright, yellow-orange eyes staring back at him from high over his head and he wasn't sure how he'd missed them before. They blinked but nothing happened. 

Shane called nervously, "Excuse me…I'm looking for the Pendant of Power…" he felt a little foolish for trying to converse with whatever monster was above him, but didn't worry too much. From the size and shape of the eyes he guessed it wasn't a very big monster. 

There was no response from over his head, other than the vague sound of hissing.

"Right…" Shane sighed again, "I'll just kill you then." He folded up his map carefully, took out his slingshot and loaded it. Aimed for one of the eyes he saw and fired. With any luck it was just a stupid keese that had flown in and gotten trapped. 

Fortunately Shane's marksmanship was improving from practice and his deku seed struck just where he wanted it to. Unfortunately the monster to which the eye belonged was bigger than a keese.

There was a sudden, blood-curdling roar, one eye disappeared into the darkness, the ground shook, threatening to knock Shane to the ground. He steadied himself against the wall, fumbling for his sword and dropping his slingshot. The remaining eye swept down towards him, growing larger and larger and larger. Shane's teeth began to rattle. His legs turned to noodles. The eye was the size of his own skull!

Suddenly a huge stream of fire shot out in the air above him, blasting up to the ceiling, lighting a fire high over Shane's head. The teenager found himself faced with a huge, black dragon. It was five times his size with shining, coal-like scales and enormous, bat-like wings, a thin, translucent membrane stretched between the bones of the wings. It had long, glittering, sharp teeth and black, thick, curved claws. It's spiky tail slashed back and forth and more flames streamed out from the open jaws as it roared again. Shane spotted a small, red ruby dangling from the dragon's neck: the pendant.

The dragon clawed at him, slashing right at his body. Shane rolled away, trying his best to avoid the pools of lava. He got clumsily to his feet and tried to cut into the monster's leg. The blade hit hard against the coals and bounced off without causing even a dent. The dragon swung around, its tail tripping Shane. He fell on his back and scrambled out of the way just as another huge paw came down towards him. This time one of the claws ripped his leg open along the ridge of the calf, spilling blood.

Shane didn't even have time to scream because another paw was coming at him as the dragon reared up on its hind legs, spewing fire and roaring. The teenager got up and darted away. He slashed several more times at the dragon's legs and girdle, but it was futile, as the sword did nothing other than make a bright, singing sound as if it were striking metal. Quickly Shane began looking for a different strategy.

A paw jarred against his shoulder, sending him into a face-plant on the ground. His face was scraped against the rock and hot blood streamed from his forehead, cheek, nose and chin. His lips were busted and a tooth was knocked loose. This time it took him a little longer to stand up. 

The dragon whirled around again, swinging its tail in another attempt to knock the teenager down. Shane managed to dart out of the way, looking with interest at the extra appendage. It looked just a tiny bit softer than the rest of the dragon's body.

Shane whipped out the Devil's Mallet, which he had almost forgotten about by this time, held it in one hand and the Blade of Fire in another. He waited until the timing was perfect and swung hard with the hammer, smashing the tail underneath its broad, stone nose. The dragon cut loose a piercing cry and whirled around, blowing fire from its nostrils. Shane dodged to the side but one leg got a little singed. He screamed and felt angry at his own weakness and terror. He spun around and hacked at the dragon's nose with his blade, blood splattered from the beast, getting on Shane's clothes. The clothes protected most of his body, but his legs, arm and even his face were scored by the tiny droplets of fire-hot blood. 

Cursing and shouting, Shane wiped it away, swung blindly with his blade and was beaten down again, his blade jarred loose of his grip. He lay stunned a moment, giving the monster and opportunity to attack. It crushed Shane under one huge paw, pressing down with inhuman might so that the teenager felt his ribs bend and crack. He screamed in agony, plunged his dagger into the beast's claw and felt more hot blood gushing around him. It was enough to convince the dragon to let him up, and Shane struggled to his feet, still clutching the hammer feebly. His dagger remained embedded between the dragon's scale's. 

Angrier than ever, Shane pounded the dragon's paw with his hammer, crunching several bones and causing more blood to spill. The Dragon's fierce cry echoed around him and it limped back a little, stood again on its back legs and flapped its enormous wings, creating a gale of hot wind that pushed Shane back against the wall. His broken ribs were jolted out of place, causing him to cry out again Desperate to get away he pulled out his bow, barely able to use his arms, and nocked an arrow, aimed blindly and shot. The arrow pierced the dragon's right wing and the beast roared, fell back to the ground with an earth shaking thump. Shane stumbled away from the wall, head aching from the dragon's agonized cries. He staggered several feet and stepped on something made of metal. He bent down and found the pommel of his sword, slid his hand up the handle and gripped it, looked up at the dragon.

It was coming at him again, breathing fire, limping from its injuries, good eye blazing. The pendant gleamed from its neck, the heat was unbearable. Shane was in so much pain and was so tired and so sick of fighting he almost felt that he couldn't go on. But beside his agony was a pure rage, filled with a insatiable desire to fight and kill. He knew that either he or the dragon had to die. What did this serpent have to live for? Nothing. It was a mindless, heartless animal with the instructions of an evil man—nothing more. Shane had a home and a family and a sister who needed him very much. He had a whole world watching him, waiting to see what he'd do. He was young and had a whole life ahead of him, and he had no intentions of dying whatsoever. 

With a cry of rage, Shane rushed at the charging animal, leapt to one side to avoid the flames, dropped his hammer and clutched his sword with both hands; he slashed against the wounded leg as hard as he could, not breaking into the scales but obviously inflicting some amount of pain, whirled around, losing his dark red hat in the process and causing his hair to flail, and struck again on the next leg. He sliced once more on the left, rear leg and then whirled his blade around in one hand as the dragon roared ferociously, stabbed upward into the beast's soft, gray underbelly. Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could straight back the way he'd come, blade slicing through the flesh like it was butter, guts and blood spilling down and splashing behind him, burning his legs. He ignored the pain, pulled his sword out and dove away, just as the dragon crashed to the ground, writhing and screaming, struggling to rise, unable to comprehend that this was death.

Shane turned again and ran like a mad man back at the dragon, spun his sword in two hands to gain momentum, thrust and stabbed right between the dragon's eyes. He felt it break through the skull and slice through the brains. The beast died instantly. 

It was dark again and silent, the dragon's one good eye still stared at Shane blankly, and its breathing rasped for several seconds as it drifted away, back to where it had come from. The teenager collapsed onto his knees, fumbling through the hot pool of guts to find the pendant. His hands were badly burned by the time he found the ruby and ripped it away from its place around the dragon's neck. A shimmering blue light filled the room, accompanied by a peaceful hum. 

Shane turned toward the portal and crawled on his hands and knees. Now that the battle was over he realized that he was totally drained, that his entire will to resist was fleeing quickly. His body refused to obey him. His mind was numb. His heart beat sluggishly and blood pumped from his body. The burn and slash marks were lit with cold fire, making life unbearable. He cried out from agony, his cracked lips hurting from the movement. He groped for his bottle of water, pulled the cork and tried to drink but he was too weak to hold it and it fell, the last few precious drops evaporating on the ground. Shane rested his head against his arm, closed his eyes and tried to block out the smoke and the vapors and heat of the room. His lungs heaved as he struggled to breathe, his eyes were watering, tears bled from them. His body trembled with pain and shock. In another moment he'd passed out.

Shane woke up from a nightmare screaming. He tossed and turned from pain. His body was on fire, his head was about to burst, and his voice was hoarse. He struggled with the bed sheets, rolling back and forth on the straw mattress. All he could see was bright red fire, all he could smell was stifling, hot, black smoke. In his ears rang the constant crackle of flame. The hot claws of death were closing around him. He screamed again, tossed his head, hair damp with perspiration. His cheeks were burning with fever. Shane held his broken ribs and cried out for his mother.

Suddenly a young man was beside him, holding him down while a fair, young girl stroked his hair. Slowly he stopped screaming, succumbing to their soft voices, and gasped a little, whispered again for his mother. "She's not here right now, Shane." Said the boy, still pressing his shoulders firmly against the mattress, "Do you understand that?"

Shane struggled another moment before his mind could really comprehend the words, his muscles twitched from agitation and he stared up through the darkness at the young man; at last he sank his head back against the pillow and nodded. 

The youth nodded back and said something quietly to the girl, but Shane couldn't understand it, he was too delirius. 

"W-water." Shane demanded, unable to say anything else.

Immediately the girl tipped a small cup to his lips, emptying ice cold water into his mouth. The cold stung his burning throat like knives were stabbing his flesh and the water leaked from his cracked lips but Shane was grateful for it. When the cup was emptied he rolled over to face the stone wall and closed his eyes. The blankets were pulled up over his bare shoulders and he slept.

When Shane woke up a second time there was sunlight streaming in through a nearby window. The room he was in was cool and smelled fresh and clean. There was a sloping wooden roof and sturdy stone walls. The only furniture in the room was a tall, wooden cabinet and a small nightstand with a dead candle. Shane was lying on his back in a clean, soft bed. The sheets were crisp and smelled fresh, as did the pillow. The bed clothes were cool and made his beaten body feel relaxed. He sat up on his elbows and looked around, his body objecting against the movement as more pain lanced through his frame.

There were footsteps and then the door opened. Vash entered, followed by a red-headed girl aged at about fourteen. The Sheikah smiled at him as if relieved, "Oh, good, you're awake."

Shane rubbed his head, trying to clear the cobwebs, "Where am I?"

"Kakariko village."

Shane stared at the girl, suddenly aware that he wasn't wearing anything but some bandages. He blushed a little but said huskily, "I don't understand."

"I went to Goron City because I had some news for you. They were very upset and told me that you'd been missing for a long time. We had to go in and look for you: thank the Goddess you finished off the monsters in there or I don't think we could have done it. Anyway, you came really close to dying and the gorons didn't think they could help you so I threw you on the back of that horse of yours and brought you here as fast as I could. Fortunately I was able to rent a room to put you in, and the woman who owns this house even told her daughter to help me take care of you." The Sheikah grinned, "Isn't that nice of her?"

Still not thinking quite clearly, Shane croaked, "How long…?" His voice didn't permit him to finish.

"You've been out for almost four days now. We've been giving you medicine pretty often so you'll be okay, but for a while I honestly thought it was over for you."

Shane lowered his eyes and stared down at his knees, "…Just not as strong as …father…I guess."

Vash sighed and sat down on the side of the bed, "No, now listen to me Shane, and look at me too, cause I want you to get this," he waited until Shane looked up at him before continuing seriously, "it's true that what your father did-the things he accomplished-were nothing at all short of amazing. He was a real hero. He was a miracle, and history will never, ever forget him. But your father also had something most people don't. He had a supernatural power about him, he had a piece of the triforce, something that gave him extraordinary capabilities. No normal Hylian could have ever done what he did, or could have been as great as he is, simply because they didn't have that. Your father is a very, very special man…"

Shane murmured, "I know he is."

"But Shane, you're his son, and guess what, you _don't_ have anything supernatural or amazing about you, and that's what makes what you're doing all the more incredible. You went into the Fire Temple, fought the evil there, and even lived to tell about it. If anyone ever had doubts about your own strength before those doubts are going to be gone now, because that's something only the Hero of Time has ever done, only you did it without the Triforce. I'm not saying that you're greater than your father, because obviously no one can be, ever, but I'm saying that you shouldn't overlook the incredible strength that _you_ have. Stop comparing yourself, because you've got to see that you're doing something that is extraordinary in itself."

The teenager scoffed, "I'm nothing but a coward."

Vash's voice was soft, "A coward? You almost died, you should be dead right now, everything you've done in the last few days has taken unbelievable amounts of courage. Maybe you're not as brave as the Hero of Time is, maybe he could go into that temple and not flinch, but just because you were scared doesn't mean you're a coward. You still went in, and you still came out, even if a couple of gorons had to drag you. You're acting like you lost, Shane, but don't forget, you didn't lose, you won. You got dragged out of there barely alive, but that dragon's dead. It's not coming out, Shane." He took a small vial filled with red, thick liquid from the girl, "Now here, stop moaning about how weak you think you are and drink this."

Reluctantly Shane put the vial to his mouth and gulped down the gooey substance. It was bitter and thick and got stuck in his throat and burned on the way down, but Vash made him finish it, then took the empty container from him. "What is that gunk?" Shane demanded.

"Red potion. The village witch heard about your condition and sent some over, we've been giving it to you as often as possible ever since I brought you here: you could say it's what really save your life."

The teenager nodded, "What about Link and the other gorons?"

"Obviously you couldn't say goodbye to them, but Link sent his best wishes with you and is letting you keep the sword and the pendant. He was really grateful, or at least as grateful as he could be to someone who was unconscious. Over all, he was pretty worried about you so he sent me off as quick as I could go. You can see him again some time. Now look, Hero, you've got to get a little more rest. You're still not fully healed and there's no way you're gonna' save your sister in this condition. We're running out of time. Go back to sleep and we'll get you back on your feet as quick as we can."

Shane laid back, turning Vash's words over in his mind, pulled the blankets up around his neck and went back to sleep, dreaming restless dreams.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Gerudo Valley

In another two days Shane was back up and ready to go. At first his muscles were a little stiff so Vash had to help him walk, but his bones were mended and his wounds were healed so it wasn't long before he was as nimble and spry as before. He met the woman who owned the house, a somewhat heavy-set, red-haired woman with a kind smile, and her daughter, Emla. The girl seemed quite taken with Shane and accompanied him everywhere, doing what ever she could to make his stay more comfortable. He found after a few hours that he really enjoyed her company and disposition; her voice was particularly pleasant to him, and something about her reminded him of his sister.

To get back into fighting order Shane did a few drills with his sword, then, when Vash was sure that the teenager was ready to get moving he helped him prepare. The sheikah listed off the things in Shane's inventory, "Let's see, you've still got, your sword, your bow with fifty arrows, the Devil's Mallet, you've got three magic beans, a shield, the Deku nuts and seeds but we didn't get your slingshot, a bottle of water, 160 rupees, and obviously the ocarina." Vash produced a bottle filled with red potion out of nowhere, "Make that two bottles. There are two servings of red potion in here. Use them wisely, and when this body is empty look for a fairy: you might be able to buy one somewhere."

Shane accepted the bottle with a soft thank-you. He felt a little sorry about the things he'd lost in the Fire Temple, especially the slingshot Diri had carved, but he knew it couldn't be helped. He didn't even want to think about going back in the temple for anything.

"You lost your knife and third bottle in the temple," Vash reminded him, saddling Darkness for the teenager, "they seem like irrelevant items, but their actually very useful, as I'm sure you'll realize as you go."

"Where am I going?" Shane asked, beginning to pack his things into his rucksack.

"I was about to get to that: I went up to find you on Death Mountain because I have some news for you." The Sheikah made sure the saddle was on right then looked at Shane with his serious, purple eyes, "I was going to visit Zelda to update her on your progress, but on my way through the market place I heard some workers talking; apparently they'd just come from Gerudo Valley and they'd heard from the King of Thieves himself that the rebel Gerudos had a young maiden at their camp. They were remarking on strange that was, and to convince someone that it really was a girl instead of just a really pretty boy, one of the workers described her: fair skin, golden hair, blue eyes. It was definitely your sister."

Shane felt both horrified and confused, "Vash, I already knew where she was, I was there when the Rebel Gerudos took her. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, according to the workers the Rebel Gerudos are going to sacrifice Lily on the night of the harvest moon."

The boy's blood ran cold, "That's in just three days!"

"Yes, and one of those days is required to ride to Gerudo Valley, furthermore, you still don't have the Pendant of Wisdom, who knows how long that will take."

Shane panicked. In just three days his sister would be killed and he wasn't anywhere near ready to save her. He started mounting Darkness immediately, "Forget the pendant, I've got to save my sister!"

The Sheikah grabbed his arm harshly and pulled him back down, "We can't do that. I know you're upset Shane, but you will never be ready to fight Argoka'shomen without all three pendants, you've got to get the third one or you'll never be able to save Lily."

Furiously the boy tore away from him, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner!"

"I was going to but after you got injured I didn't want to get you upset. Believe me Shane, I did everything I could to make sure you had time to do this, I even skipped my visit to the Queen and rode right back here as fast as I could. Things just didn't work out like I expected them to. All we can do now is act as quickly as possible."

Part of Shane was still unspeakably angry, but more at himself for his weakness than at Vash for not warning him sooner. Regardless he overcame the anger and nodded, "Where do I find the last pendant?"

Vash seemed relieved that Shane was cooperating, "In the desert temple. Not the Spirit Temple, it's in the Temple of Theives. The Gerudos have it for some reason, which is bad in itself. Fortunately they've never had the gumption to go after the other two. Be warned Shane, the Temple of Thieves is a very, very evil place. It will be, by far, the most deadly temple you've entered so far. It's full of nothing but heathen gods, and what's worse, it will be very difficult to get in. The Gerudos should be occupied with the Rebels, but you never know. If you get caught it's all over, understand? From what I've heard the new King of Thieves is a very cruel man. Pray to Din that you don't cross paths with him."

Nodding, Shane mounted his horse, "I'd better get moving."

"Right, there's not much time: ride as fast as you can."

Shane noticed Emla standing nearby, a wallet, round a fat, clutched between her two hands. Her eyes were bright with worry as she stretched it out toward him, "Momma' packed food for you. It's not much."

The teenager smiled at her as he accepted the wallet, "Thank you Emla."

Emla strained to smile back as she whispered, "Keep yourself safe, Shane…please." 

"I will."

"Good luck Hero," Vash took a step backward, "this is the last we'll be seeing of each other: after you get the last pendant head due south into the desert. That's where the rebel camp is. You shouldn't need me anymore."

Shane nodded again, looked toward the horizon and spurred his horse, setting off at a steady gallop. Soon he'd left the small town, and his friends, far behind.

All day Shane rode as quickly as he could. It rained near the middle of the day but he didn't stop except to eat lunch and rest Darkness. By dusk he was crossing the bridge of Gerudo Valley. He looked around at the high, stone cliffs and the beautiful, glimmering falls, then, after a moment, he dismounted and led Darkness to a shaded area to pass the remainder of the day. He spoke quietly to his stallion, "We'll go in at nightfall and use the cover of darkness to hide us. After that things should be easy enough."

The horse nickered his response and dipped his head to eat some of the sparse grass at Shane's feet. The boy sat down and drank a little water, then played his ocarina to pass the time and soothe his horse. Soon night had fallen and the moon was up. It was bright and large, not quite full, but still big enough to shed powerful, silver light. It cast a milky, eerie glow over the pale sand of the valley, making the land as bright as day. Shane searched the sky for clouds, then muttered a curse. If the moon was going to continue shining as loud as the sun he'd have a hard time making his way to the Temple of Thieves. Frustrated and worried, the teenager slipped into his large, black cloak and raised the hood, trying his best to cover the parts of his clothes that would betray his presence, then he caught Darkness' reigns and started leading him toward the mouth of the valley. It wasn't long before he could see torches burning in the darkness.

"Dammit," he muttered, "it's a guard post…" Hugging the wall he crept closer and closer to the torches, eyes open and alert, muscles stiff and ready to draw his sword at any sign trouble. He reached the corner of the wall and leaned around it to get a lay of the land. The Gerudo camp was large with a wide area occupied by buildings. Half-clad women walked around, carrying torches and sabers. In the distance Shane could see a gate leading out to the desert. It looked open, but was heavily guarded. He thought that maybe if he rode quickly enough he could break through the line of defensive thieves and ride into the desert. The only problem after that would be finding the temple.

"Hey you! Who are you?"

Shane looked up to see a Gerudo standing on the wall above him, lantern shading her face with orange light.

Thinking quickly, the boy swung himself onto his horse and started galloping into the camp. The woman cried out, "There's an intruder! All units form defensive strategy 24!"

Immediately women came running from all directions, waving their torches and swords, screaming and cursing at him. Shane felt fear grasp his throat. What would they do if they caught him? He didn't really want to find out. He urged his horse on, forcing Darkness to go faster. The gate was growing closer, he was rushing toward it at top speed.

Women on horses rode up behind him, swinging their sabers and shouting. One pushed her horse so that it slammed against Darkness' side and the black stallion almost tripped. Shane yelled for him to speed up and kicked his sides. At the same time, he drew his own sword and blocked the onslaught of a woman trying to separate his head from his body. They rode along side each other for several yards, swinging their blades and yelling at each other. At some point Shane knocked the saber out of the Gerudoe's hand and pulled away from the group flanking him. The gate was right before him now. He could make it, he knew he could. He spurred Darkness one last time and clenched his teeth and fists.

Out of no where a group of Gerudoe's on horses cut him off, causing Darkness to rear up and whinny in loud protest. Shane clung to his stallion's reigns and mane tightly, felt his body falling back. He swung his sword at several women on the ground and cut the arm of one. Darkness almost crushed another who was endeavoring to lasso him from the front. Panicked, the stallion began to rear and buck, thrashing its head from side to side and kicking out with its legs.

A number of women came from different sides with ropes. Desperately Shane swung at them, trying his best to prevent them from roping his horse. One got knocked down and another was stepped on but they kept coming with more ropes. It wasn't long before three of them had Darkness by the neck and another had managed to rope her cord around his front leg. After pulling for several minutes they brought the horse down, kicking and whinnying and fighting for all he was worth.

Shane suddenly found himself on the ground. He leapt to his feet, sword still in hand and tried to fight back, lashing out at the women with his weapon. He was knocked down from behind. A Gerudo stood over him, her lance to his throat, her masked face gleaming in the moonlight. Her eyes were hard and she looked angry. "How dare you try to get into our fortress, stupid kid! Now you'll pay."

"Don't kill him," a Gerudo dressed in white protested.

"You don't want me to kill him Akime? And why not? The brat did his best to infiltrate our desert."

Akime nodded, "I didn't say he shouldn't be punished, Shaloom, but you don't have the right to kill him, he must go to see the King."

"The King is busy right now," Shaloom protested, "it wouldn't be right to bother him with this whelp right now."

"He _will_ see the King," Akime snapped, "that's an order, Shaloom, now do as your told and step down."

Shaloom tossed her red hair but backed down and sneered, "Of course, sister."

Akime nodded at her, then said to a few of the others, "Tie him up and take him to a cell; he'll see His Majesty in the morning. Take his horse around to where the others are. It's a fine animal, we might be able to sell it somewhere, or maybe the King would like to keep it."

Shane felt afraid as the women dragged him to his feet and twisted his arms behind him, but not so afraid that he couldn't handle it. They removed his weapons and rupees and asked him several questions, which he refused to answer and then led him away to his cell. Shane didn't feel too worried. They likely wouldn't kill him until he'd met their king, and before that happened he was sure he could find a way to escape his cell. 

However, much to Shane's dismay, the cell he was taken to was not at all traditional. The Gerudos led him up a high wall where a hole was cut into the stone and, swords and lances to his back, shoved him down the drop-off. Shane screamed as he fell, terrified to see the ground rushing up at him and unable to move his arms since they were tied behind him. He hit like a brick, the wind knocked out of him. Gasping for breath, he rolled over to watch as his captors walked away.

Fighting against the panic that was beginning to overwhelm him, Shane struggled with his bonds and they bruised his wrists. The room he was in was plain and empty, unadorned with anything that might make it comfortable or pleasant. There was a single, large window about ten feet over his head, but unless he had some way to cut his bonds and climb the wall he was unable to escape. Shane cursed himself for being captured. He'd been so careless, it was inexcusable. If only he'd paid closer attention, then this wouldn't be happening to him. Now, not only might he run out of the time he needed to save Lily, but he was fated to meet the King of Thieves. Vash's words ran over and over in his head, _pray to Din that you never cross paths with him…_

Shane started praying right away.

In the morning the cell was cool, the stone pressed against his face was cold, Shane's arms were cramped and his muscles were stiff. He'd struggled all night long with his bonds, but it was no use. The knot the Gerudos had tied him with was incredibly tight and strong. He'd only managed to bruise his skin and cut his wrists a little. It had been hours since he'd been imprisoned but no plausible means of escape had occurred to him yet. 

Just as the first few rays of delicate sunlight were beginning to creep through the window a heavy rope fell from the hole in the ceiling. Shane stared up blankly as a pair of Gerudoe's dropped through, sliding down on the rope quickly. They landed lightly and observed their prisoner disdainfully before pulling him to his feet. He recognized one as Shaloom, the woman who had wanted to kill him the day before. She stood behind him, pressed close to his back and leaned over his shoulder to hiss in his ear, "If even think of trying to escape I'll kill you: no one will be able to stop me."

Shane listened to the words and remained calm as the bonds were sliced from his wrists. Both Gerudo women kept their weapons on him. "Climb." Shaloom ordered.

Slowly the teenager grabbed the rope, using his arm muscles he began to pull himself up, keeping both eyes focused on the exit. He could see stern Gerudo faces beyond the opening; grimly he realized escape was impossible. Especially without his horse.

By the time Shane reached the top his arms were sore and tired but he didn't let it show. Instead he looked around at the five guards who were waiting patiently for their companions to reach the top. Shane shielded his eyes to look into the sun. It was just coming up over the cliffs of the valle, shedding a light, red-orange over the land. To the West he could see the vast desert wasteland, stretching for as far as he could see. A small, dark building was just on the horizon. The Temple of Thieves? Or maybe it was the Rebel Gerudo camp. 

Shane allowed one of the women to bind his wrists again, this time in front of him. He hadn't given up on escape yet, he could see that this was not an opportune moment for an attempt. He'd wait until he had a clear shot at getting away.

When the prisoner was secured Shaloom gave him a harsh shove toward the stairs, "Walk."

Irritated by the woman's ruthless, terse commands Shane began to walk, almost tripping as the woman pushed him again. He seethed with anger and wanted to retaliate but knew that wasn't likely in the situation he found himself in. 

At the bottom of the stairs Shane paused to look around again, mind still working at blinding pace on a way to escape.

Shaloom pushed him again, and this time Shane was so off-guard he couldn't keep his balance. He fell on his face, sprawled in the dirt, struggling to rise again without the use of his arms. The woman kicked him, "Get up, slave! What do you think you're doing, wriggling in the dirt? Are you a worm?" Her second kick knocked the wind out of him, the third flung dust in his eyes. 

With a cry of rage Shane jumped up and charged at Shaloom, hit her hard in the stomach with his shoulder and they both fell back on the ground. The woman was able to stand up again. She screamed at him, cussing and shouting, hit him across the face with the handle of her lance. The blow made Shane lose his senses for a moment and he found that he was dizzy and blind, but Shaloom kept beating him over the head, cursing at the teenager as he cringed in the dirt. He felt blood flowing from his left ear and panicked. Would she kill him? Would the other six stand by as she did so? He fought to rise again but was beat down immediately, lay half-inert in the dust. The beating continued.

There was the sound of a whip cracking through the air and then a shrill, feminine cry. A powerful voice said darkly, "That's enough, Shaloom, or should I kill you?"

_That voice…_ Shane trembled at hearing the words. The voice was strong and obviously filled with anger, but it was controlled and calm, and black as the deepest waters of the sea. There was something young about it, but it was also rough, like the sand it had been born from. Shane was shocked to hear that it was male.

"Ma-master…" Shaloom said feebly, "this prisoner was trying to escape…!"

"Fool! Did you think I didn't see? As if I haven't been standing here all morning!"

Shane reluctantly opened his eyes. He didn't really want to see the owner of the voice, he didn't want to be met with the horror and despair such an individual would likely bring. 

The man standing over him was young, as young as Shane was; he had jet-black hair, a thing unheard of in Hyrule, with darkly tanned skin. His body was lean and strong, his eyes were cold, light blue. There were earrings in his ears and he was dressed in a black vest, revealing his bronze, muscular chest, and golden bracelets were on his arms and wrists. He wore the same black, loose pants that the Gerudo women wore, but leather, brown desert boots; in one hand he held a whip, the other was rested on his hip. His hair was blowing back in the breeze and he was staring angrily at Shaloom. Shane didn't see any mercy in those eyes.

"I'm sorry, Master, but he is only a foolish prisoner—a child!"

"And am I, your master, the King of the Gerudos, also a child, Shaloom?" The boy growled softly. He sounded like a man whispering to his lover at night, but the voice was so black it made Shane tremble.

"N-no, Your Majesty, no!"

"And yet this prisoner is no younger than I am."

"Of course, Your Majesty, but I thought-"

"You thought! There's your problem, Shaloom, you're always thinking! Thinking is reserved for the people with intelligence! Why are you even out here? Didn't I order you last night to clean my dining room?"

"I-I already did, Sir, I-"

"Well clean it again! And after that clean out the stables. I can't endure your insubordination any longer! Go now!"

Shaloom looked angry, her mouth twisted into a pout, but she stamped away, muttering.

With the distraction gone, the young man looked down at Shane, seemed to think a moment before saying, "Get him on his feet, cut his bonds!"

The remaining women gasped, "My Lord?"

"Are you all blind? There are seven of us, Shaloom has beat him senseless, what's he going to do?"

Obediently the women set to obeying their master, Shane stood on his feet in another moment, staring at the King of Thieves. He knew that he should be afraid, very, very afraid, especially after the things Vash had told him about this man, but he found he wasn't. How could someone only his age be as dangerous as everyone insisted?

Strangely enough the boy smiled, a cold, bleak smile, he extended his empty hand to Shane, "Forgive the impertinence of my sister, she is a fool. I am Shade, Twelfth King of the Gerudos, the nephew of the Exulted Nabooru."

Feeling a little confused by the respect he was being shown, Shane accepted Shade's hand, "I'm Shane…"

"The son of the Hero of Time. I know who you are, why else would I spare your life? Shane, have you eaten this morning?"

Shane shook his head.

"My foolish sister, neglecting to feed my prisoners. Walk with me. We'll eat, that is, if that fool Shaloom actually cleaned my dinning room like she says she did."

"Uh, I'm actually kind of in a hurry…Sir…if I could I'd just like to get my horse and belongings back so that I can-"

Shade turned and stared at him, curiously, but with a hint of danger, "You refuse to dine with the King of Thieves?"

"No sir, it's just that I have a lot to do before the harvest moon."

The Gerudo boy smiled slyly, "That's right, you have to save your sister from those detestable rebels and that idiot Argoka'shomen before two nights have passed." To Shane's confused look he added, "Don't be surprised, Shane, I'm a thief, I hear a lot of things, and also, I know a lot of things. You have plenty of time to eat." He continued walking.

Reluctantly Shane followed him. 

Moments later he found himself sitting on a roof with the Gerudo king, a wooden table set up and adorned with a variety of commonplace dishes and different kinds of food, some Shane was familiar with and others he'd never heard of. He was hungry but ate slowly, keeping a constant eye on his companion. When the meal had gone on in silence for a moment Shade said, "So go ahead, you must have questions, ask me anything."

Shane studied him all the harder, pausing from his food to look intensely at the other boy. Shade didn't seem bothered at all. "All right, here's one, why exactly did you stop her from killing me? Why are you being so…hospitable? You know I'm the son of the Hero of Time, shouldn't you want me dead?"

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Shane; you see, my aunt and your father were friends, he saved her from that monster, Ganondorf and awakened her as a sage; contrary to what you may believe, though we Gerudo are thieves, we are not inherently evil, especially not me. Sure, I pick-pocket some change and raid desert villages, I'm a rogue and a murderer, but even I know when something's wrong. And, right now, to be honest, I have a problem that I could use your help on."

"A problem?"

"I've already told you I'm the twelfth king of the Gerudos, haven't I? Do you know how often a male Gerudo is born?"

"Uh…" Shane looked down at his food to try to remember what he'd been told, "every hundred years, isn't it?"

Shade's eyes glittered, "That's right, every century one of my kind is born, by law they then become the King of the Gerudos, the women worship us as if we were gods because not only are we rare, but we're extremely powerful. The last king before me, Ganondorf, was particularly powerful because he had a fragment of the Triforce. I'm a little more average, but I can still use magic like no one else in this whole desert can. The women would die for me."

"Aren't you a little early? Has it really been one hundred years since Ganondorf was born?"

"Good question. No one knows when or to whom Ganondorf was born. After what he did to the exulted Nabooru many Gerudos started to question him, questioning even his lineage. He was indeed born among us at an undetermined time, but no one is alive that can remember when that was. I have my own theory about my uncle: I believe he was the reincarnation of a monster known as Ganon."

"I've heard of Ganon," Shane nodded, "the heroes before my father defeated him."

"Over and over and over. I believe being born to the Gerudos as Ganondorf was something Ganon did on purpose to gain power. By all means he was not an average Gerudo."

"And this problem you have?"

"Well, because my predecessor came before me such a short time ago I've found that many of the Gerudo women doubt me as their true king, even though there are witnesses to my birth. My sister, Shaloom, is one who does doubt me, and aside from her I've had trouble with a multitude of Gerudos. Most of them have left this place, journeyed southward into the desert to join that cursed Argoka'shomen. I'm losing power as we speak, I don't have enough forces to fight back or even defend myself if Argoka'shomen attacks, and it makes the women nervous. I'm afraid that if more leave everything will fall apart, they may even try to kill me."

Shane scoffed, chewed a piece of meat carefully, "You think _I_ can help you with your problem?"

"Well why not?"

"It's not that I don't care, but it really isn't the biggest worry I have to deal with right now."

The Gerudo King laughed, "Oh, yes, I see, you're much more concerned with helping your sister. Family, what a hindrance they are. Look here, Hero, you may not want to help me but you don't have very much choice."

"You're going to _force_ me to help you? How like a King." Shane thought bitterly of his conversation with Queen Zelda.

"Of course not; I may be a King, but this system is much different than the ones you Hylians know. Our Gerudo system of ruling is built on honor and respect. I know what your quest is, Shane, and I have the third Pendant, or did you forget? You need to go into my temple anyway, don't you, to get the Pendant of Wisdom? There is a problem: my temple has recently been overrun with all types of monsters, monster I could deal with myself."

"But you don't want to."

Shade seemed to hesitate, as if debating over how to answer. At last he said, "It's a needless risk of my blood, but more importantly, it's a way for you to prove what skills you have."

"Skills?"

"Don't be alarmed," Shade grinned and bit into a piece of fruit, "but I've been watching you. My other sister, Akime, has been following you ever since you arrived in the Hyrule Marketplace. She was trailing the Rebel Gerudos who kidnapped your sister and then she saw you and thought you looked like Link so she did everything she could to find out where you were going and what you were doing. She has reported to me on all of your activities. She lost track of you for a day or two, but I know you were in the forest. She has told me that you have considerable archery skills and even more talent with horses. I trust my sister more than anyone, so I believe her about your skills, but not all Gerudo feel that way."

"What exactly are you getting at? I don't understand."

"You have to go into the Temple of Thieves to retrieve the pendant anyway, you might as well wipe out the monsters there; if you do then my subjects and I shall all believe in the skills you have. Go into my temple, bring back the Staff of Thieves and I promise I shall help you get your sister back from Argoka'shomen."

Shane looked at him uncertainly, "Why should I trust you, a thief?"

"You shouldn't, but you don't have another choice." Shade pulled a knife from his belt, "But perhaps this will help: give me your hand."  
Uncertainly, Shane did as he was told, watched in fascination as Shade cut first his own hand and then Shane's, gripped the Hylian's hand in his own so that their blood mixed together. "What does this mean?" Shane winced from the pain but kept his gaze locked on Shade.

"From this day forward you and I are kin; as soon as my favorite wife give me a daughter that child is yours to have as slave, or as a wife for the son you have some day. Do you accept?"

The teenager looked deep into the Gerudo King's eyes, trying to fathom any possibility of a trick or a trap. He knew that this was a necessary deal, that he could likely not continue on with his quest without agreeing. At last he nodded, "I accept."

Shade grinned, "Very good. From this day forward our line's shall be mixed so that neither of our heritages shall ever be lost. Go now, brother, and bring back my staff, it is the key to ultimate power."

Shade rode a little ahead of Shane, his Arabian mare was a dark, desert brown with a milky mane, and she was fast. On her the desert king rode quickly over the sands, kicking up dust that consequently blew into Shane's face. At first the boy was a little annoyed with his arrogant companion's inconsiderate actions, but whenever he drew up closer or tried to get around to the side of Shade, the Gerudo boy would pull his horse over in front of Shane, keeping him behind him, and soon Shane realized that the king was trying to race, obviously testing Shane's skills of horsemanship. Shane weighed the pros and cons: it crossed his mind that Shade might want to steal Darkness for his own and so wanted to know what the horse was capable of. He decided it was best to be prepared for anything, then he spurred Darkness and snapped his reigns, shouting at him to go faster. The horse, trained to listen to his master's voice, immediately increased speed, a storm of dust billowing behind him, and soon he was at Shane's horses rear flank. 

The Gerudo looked over his shoulder and smiled as if satisfied, whipped his mare on the hindquarter to urge her forward. Shane leaned close over Darkness' neck, clung tight to his reigns and whispered to him, "Just a little faster, my friend."

Now the horses were side by side, Shade still only a few feet ahead, the dust around them swirling in their very own sand storm, the horses' nostrils were flared, their eyes wide. The King yelled to Shane, "None are faster than me, Hero's Son, but if you beat me to the temple I'll give you a prize the likes of which not even your father saw!"

Shane swallowed his fear and shouted, "You're on, Majesty!"

Shade snorted, kicked his horse to speed her up.

But Shane only ducked lower and whispered to Darkness in Hylian, "I've seen you race, stallion, you've got wild blood in your veins, now let it flow."

Almost as if the horse could understand what Shane had said he suddenly tossed his head, crying out for all the desert to hear, and then in a flash, Shane was going faster than he'd ever gone before, leaping over rocks and ditches, weaving between cacti. Levers appeared in the sand only to be crushed lifeless under the horses hooves. Darkness was a black blur as he passed Shade, mane flying back in his master's face, sweat frothing on his muscles, the temple up ahead was growing slowly larger, a tall, black shape in a desolate wasteland. Shane felt his heart beating faster, but whether it was from the thrill of the race or the anticipation of going in to meet such danger he wasn't sure. He stole a glance back at Shade and saw with delight that the Gerudo King was far behind, whipping his mare over and over, struggling to catch up. 

Only a matter of minutes later, Shane slowed his horse and halted him before the gates of the Temple of Thieves. It was a towering temple, unlike any he'd seen before, with a tall, blunted spire rising up toward the sun. The face of the Sun Goddess stared down at him from the face of the building. Beyond the black, stone gate he could hear and see running water-a fountain of some kind-and there were twelve statues built around the front of the temple; one was incomplete, and much to Shane's surprise, one was the exact likeness of Ganondorf himself. Shade stared at the evil, smiling face and felt his bones turn cold, his blood all but stopped flowing and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. A voice whispered in his head, making his long ears twitch a little. He could feel it in his core: this was a place of pure evil.

Behind him, Shade arrived in a flurry of dust, his mare panting and wheezing. He scowled at Shane, "Well, well, Akime was right, you are quite the rider; there's never been one before whose dust I was forced to choke on. You have my commendment."

"And your resentment." Shane said, almost without interest. He was so caught up in the vile feeling surrounding the temple he couldn't really pay much attention to Shade.

"No," the King shook his head, "you and I are brothers now, you have my admiration, you truly are worthy to be known as my kin." He climbed from his horse, reached for his saddlebag, "And I have gained a rival. But as promised, I have a departing gift for you."

Shane barely heard him, whispered suddenly, "Shade…what is this place?"

The Gerudo King looked at him, then up at the spire, seemed to shudder a little himself, "Do you get a strange feeling from it also, Hero? Most who come here get a black sensation in their heart. This is the Temple of the Thieves, a place my forefather, Madorye, First King of the Gerudos built over one thousand years ago. He ruled here, sat inside on a throne made of the finest stone, but back then the desert was far more wild and an evil spirit of the south wind, Kashomen, took it for himself." Shade looked up at the sky, "Back then it never rained, the sun was hot enough to kill a horse and rider in a only a few hours, when the sun went down it was frigid cold and miserable, thousands of Gerudos died everyday due to the elements. That was back when my people weren't as adapted, but either way, we stood no chance as long as Kashomen ruled the desert. So Madorye gave up his throne, he walked into the desert and was there for three days, praying to the Goddess of the Sun. He promised that all of his descendents, every Gerudo King after him, would spend his life serving her as long as she protected the women from Kashomen. The Goddess was merciful and she trapped Kashomen within the walls of this place, and if ever a Gerudo King fails to abide by the law Madorye set Kashomen will be set free again."

Shane pondered the words a moment, then said, "Argoka'shomen…?"

"Indeed." Shade nodded his head gravely, "Ganondorf did not care about the Gerudo people, he hated the desert, he wanted more, and he didn't service the Goddess as he should have. Kashomen was released, and now he rallies against me, using my own forces to defeat not only my clan but all the clans of Hyrule. I have done many things to appease the Goddess, I have promised her my first born, I've given her many fine horses, I have built fires in the night and spent the cold hours praying, but I have finally come to realize that my darkest dreams have been fulfilled. The Goddess will not answer to me, and I must defeat Kashomen myself."

"Or rather, _I_ must," Shane muttered.

"I know you are bitter, brother, but the Spirit of the south wind demands more than the desert this time, he wants all of Hyrule for himself, and I don't have the strength to vanquish him on my own, that is why you must do this. Believe it or not I am not even allowed inside this temple."

Shane stared, unable to conceal his shock, "You're not? Well why not? This is your temple, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, but the Goddess made Madorye promise none of his descendents would enter this place, because she worried that it would mark that a king had grown presumptuous and thought he didn't need the Goddess to rule over Kashomen. My attendants and my sisters and all of my subjects go in and out as they please, but for me to step across the threshold of the door would be for me to die."

Shane began to finally understand, "Those twelve statues represent the Gerudo kings don't they?"

"Yes. They are the symbol of how we have given our lives to the Sun Goddess. That unfinished statue is myself. In three years it will be finished and my life serving her will begin." Shade sounded bitter but he kept his voice soft, as if afraid the Goddess would hear. "My mother brought me here when I was very small. She made me drink the water from the Fountain of the Sun and she prayed to the Goddess night and day, she cut my hand, leaking my blood on the ground and devoted my life to Her. When I am of the proper age I must return her to be murdered in order to appease the Goddess, I am bound to this place, I am bound to the desert, and yet, with Kashomen loose again my very kingdom teeters on the brink of destruction. I fear that if Kashomen is not dealt with my own subjects will try to kill me, thinking that it will buy the protection of the Goddess. That is what it means to be King of the Gerudos," he spat, "to be the king of these fools means to be killed for a ruthless god."

"I'm sorry." Shane said very softly.

"Don't be sorry, brother, because you can make this right. A hero with a pure heart can enter the darkest depths of this place and change things back. I do resent my forefather for the vow he made, for throwing my life away thousands of years before I was even thought into being. I know that for my whole life, when I am of the right age, I must be slain here as a blood sacrifice, but I would like to live what part of my life that I can, and that will only happen if you accomplish this task." He turned back to his saddlebag, "Listen now, brother, inside you will find the Pendant of Wisdom. My people stole it some time ago and they brought it here for the Sun Goddess. Whether or not it actually appeased her doesn't matter, you must find it, as well the Staff of Thieves."

"What is the Staff of Thieves exactly?"

"It is the ornament Kashomen was sealed in so many years ago. It is only with this weapon that you will be able to seal him away again. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Shane dismounted his horse, stood beside the king feeling suddenly very sorry for him. 

"I have a gift for you, brother, the Dark Tunic." Shade pulled a black tunic and hat from his saddlebag. There were also a pair of black boots and gauntlets with gray trews and a shirt. "When you wear this tunic you will be more difficult to see, your footsteps will be lighter, your breathing will be quieter. It will cloak you from your enemies." Next he took the ruby medallion from around his neck, draped it around Shane's own neck, "This is the Desert Medallion. If you are wearing this the powers of darkness will be unable to harm you. They will see you are my brother and they will fall back. Wear it inside, keep yourself well protected."

"Thank you." Shane accepted the clothes and the medallion, stared at Shade. He felt truly surprised by the generosity and kind heart of the other boy. He really did want to help him in any way he could, and he realized suddenly that Shade was nothing like Vash had described him. Perhaps the whole Gerudo race was simply misunderstood.

"No, thank _you_ Hero, you are saving my life, I am only repaying that debt in the only way I can. Now I must leave as soon as I can, this place is evil…it is hard to think that one day it shall be my grave." He looked up wearily at the face of the Sun Goddess, whispered, "Wait a bit longer, Dark Lady, you can have my blood, but only in due time." Then he climbed back on his mare, looked down at Shane, a wry grin on his face, "I will be practicing my horsemanship, Hero, so that when we race again I can reclaim my crown." With that, he spurred his horse and set off. In another moment he was just a dark speck in the distance.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Temple of Thieves

Shane quickly stripped out of his father's tunic and put the Dark Tunic into place, then he looked at the gates. His body trembled with the feeling of evil that was overwhelming him, his heart was sick with fear, but he pushed it away and opened the gates, took Darkness' by the reigns and led him inside. The courtyard was made entirely of alabaster stone. Shane's boots padded softly on the rock, but the sound of Darkness' hooves echoed all around him. There were several fountains of crystal clear water inside and he paused to let Darkness have a drink, then he filled up one of his bottles as well before continuing toward the ominous door. 

Shane stopped and looked up at the statue that would one day bear Shade's youthful face, then he looked at Ganondorf, shuddered under the statue's gaze. He walked down the line of statues, looking up at every single King and trying to make out the Gerudo inscription carved into the stone. When he had passed all eleven he stared up at the twelfth. The face was bearded, the eyes were dark and the nose was aristocratic and hooked. Shane knew it was Madorye, and he was surprised to see how confident and joyful the man looked. 

Suddenly a blast of icy wind shot across the back of his neck, his hair stood on end. Darkness cried out, reared up and pawed at the air, thrashing his head back and forth. Shane yanked down on the reigns, planting the horse's front hooves back on the stone. He stroked his nose and looked into his eyes, whispered words of comfort in his ears. Slowly the horse calmed itself, but it kept its ears pinned back. Shane looked around; the icy feeling was gone, but he couldn't shake the thought that someone was staring at him. He looked up at the carved face of the first king, then at the Goddess on the wall, and continued on his way.

Ahead of him was a tall fountain, shimmering and glittering, its water running smoothly. Shane stopped and stared at it. The water was a shining black, like an onyx stone, and was translucent like melted stone. It emanated heat and the feeling of death. Shane murmured, "The Fountain of the Sun." he wasn't sure how he knew, but he couldn't shake the black feeling inside of him. He dipped his finger in the water and it sizzled and shuddered, shied away from him until not a drop was left under his finger. His skin grew dead white. Shane pulled his hand away, held his breath in amazement. He whispered to Darkness, "Shade had to drink that? Glad I'm not King of the Gerudos."

He stopped. The horse wasn't looking at him. Instead he had his head turned around to look beyond Shane. His ears were straight back against his head, his nostrils were full and his eyes were glazed and wide. Darkness' muscles were trembling and he whickered nervously.

"What is it, boy?" Shane turned to look in the same direction, stopped, stared hard in disbelief.

Coming towards him was a young woman. She had long, silver hair and shocking green eyes. Her skin was pale and perfect, far too perfect to be normal. She was dressed in a long, flowing silver gown and her crimson lips smiled gently; she spoke in a musical voice, "Hello there. Well, I can see you're not a Gerudo. I'm so glad: those brutes terrify me in a way nothing else can." She continued advancing.

Shane relaxed a little. "No, I'm Hylian. My name is Shane." He thought maybe the beautiful woman was a fairy who would bless him with something amazing.

"Ah, Shane, it's so wonderful to see another civilized being. Come and sit beside me at the fountain and let's talk." She was right in front of him now so that he could see ever flawless feature. He felt a little bewildered by her presence.

From behind, Darkness nipped Shane's shirt, whickered softly.

The woman giggled, "Your horse is hungry. Are you a knight?"

"No, I'm a farm boy." Shane grinned.

"Ah, a farm boy. The nearest farm is quite a ways away. May I ask why you came here?" She reached for him, her perfect hand soft and gentle as she stretched to lay it on his arm. Her nails were long and gleaming and black. 

Before she could touch him though, Darkness reared up again, whinnying and pulling at the reigns, dragging his master away a few feet before Shane could react. He thrashed his head around and even bit Shane on the cheek, still crying out in terror. It took the boy several moments to regain control of his horse. When he was sure Darkness was okay, he rubbed his face, "Owe, he bit me."

"What a magnificent animal, here, let me see your face, perhaps I can heal it, I know a bit of magic."

Shane turned to her and his heart stopped beating. The maiden's eyes were hollow and dark, her flesh was gray and her teeth were sharp. Curved, violent horns had sprouted from the top of her skull. She was coming at him quickly, mouth gaping, "Give me your blood!" She cried.

With a yelp, Shane jumped back, but it was too late her hand was on him, her teeth were against his neck.

A loud, high-pitched hum shot through the courtyard, Shane felt his body tingling all over and the ground suddenly shook. There was a blast of red light from around his neck and the woman fell back, howling in pain and vanishing into a vaporous smoke. Her voice cried, "You have the King's Medallion! I didn't know you had the medallion!" the vapor vanished, shooting away towards the door. Shane watched it go in amazement, looked down at Shade's medallion. It was still glowing vibrantly and it was warm against him. He tucked it back under his tunic and looked around. Darkness was calm, and the courtyard was empty again. Shane sighed and whispered to his horse, "It's okay now; everything should be okay. I'm going to leave you out here, all right? I have to go inside." 

Darkness whickered again and nuzzled his master's shirt. Shane got out an apple and fed it to the stallion, then he released him. He didn't want to tie him up, just in case something attacked the horse. He wanted him to be able to get away.

Then Shane set his jaw, turned toward the door and started toward it, ready to walk into its blackness. 

The Temple of thieves was large and darker than night. It was cool and smelled like must, a few candles burning with blue flame light the rooms, but aside from that Shane was no more that a black shape outlined by a slightly lighter darkness. He groped his way through the rooms, sword ready, breathing quietly. There were many monsters inside the dark temple: levers and keese of course, but there were also Lizalfos, Armos, Fire Bubbles and Beamos. He could hear Razor Traps sliding across the room, grating over the stone. There was a constant smell of incense in his nostrils and he was constantly tripping and stubbing his foot against rocks. All around him was a dark shroud and a feeling of inescapable evil. Here and there he saw a Poe Ghost, drifting in and out of visibility. Shane wasn't very worried about being attacked. The Dark Tunic provided him with amazing cover from enemies, and most of them couldn't even see him until he was already upon them, and by then it was too late. The only things he really had to watch for were the Keese, which could find him in the dark via echolocation, as well as the Beamos and the Wall Masters that occasionally dropped from the ceiling to attack. And in the mean time the King's Medallion protected him from the evil forces. For the most part the Blade of Fire lit his way, and he had long since overcome his fear of the place. 

Up ahead now, Shane could see the vague outline of a door in the wall. He paused under a torch and looked his map over, munching a piece of bread from his wallet as he tried to determine his route. The map was difficult to decipher in the crushing black, but he could see that the room up ahead was considerably small and that immediately after it was one that was fairly large. Shade hadn't marked anything special on the map other than the location of the Pendant of Wisdom; Shane guessed that it was because the King of Gerudos had never been inside and had no idea where to look for the Staff or anything else. 

Satisfied with where to go next, Shane drank a little red potion and immediately felt better. The few scratches and bruises he'd acquired during the journey through the temple were soothed and the aching in his head ceased. He breathed a sigh of relief, wiped his lips and went on his way, keeping his eyes open for a fairy of any kind. 

When he reached the door it slid open easily allowing him inside. The room was pitch black without so much as one candle to light his way, it was cold and smelled like dirt, a crisp breeze rushed across his face, feathering his cheeks. Shane waited several minutes for his eyes to adjust, but when they didn't he merely slid his palm along the room, groping his way along into the room.

The first step, his black boot crushed down on something soft and there was a loud hiss. Something slipped away from him, brushing against his boot. Thinking it was nothing, Shane moved on. His steps found him stepping on several more hissing, soft creatures and soon he felt as if he were standing on soft mud. A little afraid, Shane stopped moving, feeling the strange sensation of a number of creatures squirming over his boots and wriggling under his feet. He breathed softly for a moment, listening to the hisses, then quietly murmured a little magic his father had taught him. Immediately a small flickering flame was born on his open palm. Shane stared down in horror.

The entire floor was a black, wriggling mass of snakes, large and small. Some he recognized as poisonous, others were apparently harmless. The were slithering through each other, caught up in knots. One large, black snake with a cotton-white mouth was coiled right at his feet, hissing and reeling back as if to strike. Shane stepped away and made his way as carefully as he could from the threatening snake. He looked uncertainly through the room. Was there any chance of getting through without contracting a venomous bite? He doubted it. Would his red potion heal him of the sickness? He didn't know that for sure either, and he didn't really want to find out.

Shane looked his map over again, making sure there wasn't a different route. To his dismay there wasn't. 

Decisively he squelched the magic flame in his hand and stood again in the darkness, closed his eyes and uttered an even more powerful spell, feeling it draw some of the strength in his own body. Flame burst around him, burning close to his body so that he could smell it singing his hair, but he didn't worry. The fire shield flourished about him like a flower, going throughout the entire room, burning the snakes, which hissed and writhed as they died. A powerful, sweet, feminine voice said in his head, "Be not afraid, my child, I am with you," and Shane felt infinitely calmed and grateful to his father for teaching him the magic he'd always viewed as worthless.

When Din's fire had burned out and Shane was sure that all of the snakes were dead the boy continued on his way, leaving through the far door.

The new room was a huge contrast from the one he'd come from. It was brightly lit with torches, adorned with silver and gold and red carpet. Shane stopped to look around, making sure that there were no enemies present: he only saw a tall, muscular statue in the center. It was a suit of black, shining armor with a thick helmet with horns on its top. It held a heavy battle axe in both hands and stood up perfectly straight. Shane approached it with interest, looking at the fine craftsmanship of the steel armor. He thought of how nice it would be to have a great suit of armor like the bravest knights of Hyrule. Perhaps the Queen would give him one as a gift. Or maybe this suit would fit him.

The teenager brushed one wistful finger over the material, thinking of how heavy and how protective it would be.

Instants later the suit came to life, it swung one huge arm at Shane and hit him right across the face, sending the boy sprawling back on the floor. Shane sat up, a little confused, shaking his head to make the dizziness go away. The armor was moving steadily toward him, its heavy footsteps echoing in the room around them. It stood over Shane and hefted its axe back, ready to bury its blade in his brain.

Horrified, Shane rolled away, jumped up and drew his blade. The monster swung its axe anyway and got it stuck in the floor. The teenager stared, unable to believe the impact or its affects. 

It was only a moment before the creature had pulled its weapon back from the floor and was attacking again. Shane barely managed to accomplish a backflip in order to avoid the onslaught, and instead the axe slammed against a nearby pillar, shattering it. A few rupees fell out and Shane scurried to collect them as the Iron Knuckle swung again. This time it hit against the wall, once again lodging the blade there.

Shane stared at it indecisively. It was obviously very occupied with freeing its axe, leaving its back wide open for assault. Both doors in the room were locked with bars, cutting off any hope of escape. Though he did desperately want to escape his foe, he knew he had to opt for something better. Holding the Blade of Fire tightly, Shane attacked, slashing at the Iron Knuckles back, denting the armor. The Knuckles cried out, obviously pained by the attack and Shane chopped again, creating a small crack. 

The monster ripped its axe from the wall, whirled around and struck Shane across the shoulder with the blunt side of the axe, shattering it. Shane screamed, holding the room and writhing in pain. The Knuckles stood over him again, ready to strike. Doubled over from pain, Shane was barely able to evade the new attack. He held his sword in one hand and slashed at the Iron Knuckle's armor, enlarging the crack.

But he was dizzied from pain and fatigued from the constant movement of the fight. He knew if he didn't do something quickly his enemy would defeat him. He thought about the bottle of potion he still had, but he didn't have the hands to pull out the cork and hold his sword and the bottle at the same time, and at this crucial moment he had no time to put the blade away.

Another idea struck him and he darted away from the iron knuckles, hiding behind a nearby pillar. He watched the Iron Knuckles over his shoulder. As expected, it saw him and swung its axe, knocking it against the stone and making it crumble just as Shane dashed away. A bundle of arrows fell out but Shane didn't have time to pick them up. Instead he staggered to the next pillar, struggling to push away the pain he felt. The pillar contained more rupees and the following housed bombs. Shane began to feel discouraged when there were only three pillars left. He knew he had to start fighting back if he wanted to win, but it would be impossible with only one arm. 

Fortunately the fourth pillar contained exactly what he needed. The rocks crumbled and there was a spray of pink light accompanied by a tiny, shrill cry of protest. The wandering fairy flurried away from the Iron Knuckles, drifting throughout the room uncertainly; Shane ran to it, and gazed into the small, heart-shaped face, whispered as gently as possible, "I need your help, please."

The little fairy looked up at him doubtfully, it's wings fluttering rapidly in order to stay afloat. 

Shane repeated himself a little desperately, "I need your help! That thing's going to eat me alive if you don't help me!"

Bobbing up and down a little, the fairy spoke in its unknown tongue and smiled a child's grin. She nodded ever so slightly and Shane managed to smile back as she flew around his head and neck, sprinkling her fine dust over his body. No sooner had she unleashed her magic, Shane felt better. The pain in his shoulder subsided, the dizziness was zapped away and he felt completely rejuvenated. He smiled back at the fairy and said quietly, "Thank-you."

The creature only smiled and flew away quickly, just as the Iron Knuckles approached, its slow, steady footsteps a tell-tale sign of how close it was.

Shane turned to face it, mouth set in determination. He clutched his blade strongly and went at the Iron Knuckles, dodging as it attacked and striking its armor twice in the now-familiar metallic ring of sword on metal. The armor shatter and fell on the floor, leaving the wearer more exposed but also lighter.

It ran at Shane, metallic footfalls rumbling. It shouted at him ineligibly and swung, barely brushing the teenager's cheek and cutting it a little. Shane ignored the cut and danced away from the Iron Knuckles, allowing it to lodge its axe once again in the floor before moving in and slicing into its soft, unprotected body. Blood splattered over his blade as he stabbed and slashed, it sprayed across his face and stained his tunic and trews. The Iron Knuckles slumped over, unable to move, dying quickly from the blood loss, but Shane plunged his sword deep into the monster's chest, piercing the heart, just to be safe. A moment later it was dead and motionless on the floor. Its axe still wedged in the stone. 

Reluctantly, Shane turned from it to face the door, watched as it opened. There was a magical hum and a swirl of light as a chest appeared before him. He approached it expectantly and hefted it open. Inside was a long, silver rod with a bulbous, ruby end. All along the shaft it was carved with foreign runes and markings and decorations. Shane saw the sign of the Sun Goddess and lifted it carefully from the musty chest, held it up to the light to examine the ruby on the end. He looked into the gleaming stone and saw his own face. The staff wasn't very heavy and it felt relaxed in his grip and easy to wield, but it was warm, burning with a dull fire. Shane swung it, half expecting flames to spew from the end. Much to his surprise, nothing happened, and he tried several more minutes, swinging it back and forth in an attempt to use it. At last he sighed in resignation. Shade had said that the Staff of Thieves had unbelievable powers, but maybe it was only made as a seal for Argoka'shomen. He only had to take it back, that didn't mean it was a weapon. He hooked it onto his belt beside the Devil's Mallet.

Shane drank a little water, ate a little more food, and then gathered up the things from the broken pillars before moving on.

It was a few more hours before Shane stared hard at his map and realized he was about to enter the very last room in the temple. He'd been marking the rooms he'd been in as he went along, and now there was only one unadulterated area left, one place he hadn't been. He nodded to himself and wrote 'Pendant' inside the respective square, then he marched forward, hand on the pommel of his blade, ready to face whatever ill-tempered monster beyond the last door.

He stopped before entering and realized that he was shaking all over, his breath was uneven and he felt cold, his memories were going back over and over to the last temple he'd been in and the horrible monster he'd fought there. Thoughts of death clouded his judgment and he found that it was difficult to swallow. This time there were no friendly gorons and no helpful Sheikah to worry about him. Shade claimed that they were bound by blood now, but did that mean the King of Thieves would come looking for him? He doubted it. Shade couldn't even enter the temple!

Pushing aside the feelings of doubt, Shane focused on what Vash had told him. He had his own powers, he had his own reservoir of strength, and he didn't need any fragment of the Triforce to accomplish his goals. He was going to save his sister, and as with the Dragon, no monster was going to stop him. 

Bravely, he entered the room.

It was large, larger than the room he'd fought the iron knuckles in, and much to his surprise it had windows carved from the stone with ragged, crimson curtains blowing in the breeze. Outside he could see he was quite a ways up in the air, the Gerudo Fortress was a distant speck-he must have climbed all the way to the stop of the spire of the temple. The sun was starting to set, painting the desert sky vibrant pink. That reminded him that the harvest moon was the following night and he didn't have time to waste.

Shane looked around the room, ready to see his enemy anywhere. Instead he noticed that he was standing on red carpet, followed it with his eyes up some steps onto a dais where there was a throne carved of polished, gleaming obsidian. There was a crusty, old skeleton seated there, garbed in black, red and gold. There was a small, golden circlet on its head and a scraggly gray beard that fell to its chest was still partially attached to its chin. The eyes, for some reason, looked sad. Shane approached it reverently, looking it up and down. 

When he was at the bottom step the bones twitched, the head shifted and the skeleton moved, Shane went breathless and stared in fear as the skull twisted around and focused on him, bones creaking as it did so. A ghostly, deep voice filled the room. It was gentle and calm but also booming like distant thunder. "What foolish mortal dares to enter the throne of the king?"

Shane discovered that he was trembling again, his voice was unsteady, "M-my name is Shane, I-"

"Silence mortal! I have no need of your name: I am the Exulted Madorye, the First and Last true King of the Gerudo Tribe! How dare you enter this place, man-child, you have defiled my resting place and now you shall surely die!"

"I-"

The boy didn't get to finish his objection: Madorye leapt up from his throne, engulfed in an eerie green aura. A glimmering sword with a twisted steel shaft appeared and the dead king clenched it in bony, white knuckles. Shane found he was frozen in place by supernatural powers, and no matter how hard he struggled or what he told his body to do he was unable to move. Madorye laughed hysterically, crying out, "Die now, mortal!" He swung his weapon over his head with every intention of slicing into Shane's skull.

The boy yelped in fear and faced his death in horror. 

A brilliant flare of red shot out and enveloped Shane in a misty diamond of crimson. The blade's edge struck the barrier and ruby lightning shocked up the shaft, flinging it out of the dead king's grip so that it clattered against the far wall and fell to the floor with a dull ring. The skeleton was also electrified and for a moment he glowed red, then collapsed on his knees before Shane. For a split second it was as if life were restored to the king. He had pink flesh again and blue eyes. His beard retained some momentary color and Shane could have swore he saw tears in the dead man's eyes. "That medallion…" he whispered in his ghostly voice, "I wore that for so many years in my youth…but you…you are not my descendent…"

The red glow faded but Shane didn't feel worried without it seeing how the King was reacting now. "No, I'm not, but I was sent by him."

"Then, you are a messenger of one of my own sons?"

Shane shrugged, "You could say I'm his…brother…"

"Brother?" The king's once-again-empty eyes looked Shane up and down, focused a long time on the Staff of Thieves. "Ah, I see you bear the house of Kashomen, the Spirit of the South Wind. What have you come to this place for, boy? Why do you bring that wizard's rod with you?"  
"I'm looking for the Pendant of Wisdom," Shane said as strongly as he could.

"…the pendant…what does a child want with such a precious item?"

"It's to save my sister from Kashomen. I have the first two and I must have the third or she will die."

The old king seemed to fade a little, his voice was very quiet, "You hold the Staff of my kin, and come in the name of one of my own descendents, you must have some special destiny about you. Tell me, what is your name, child?"

Shane hesitated. He was a little nervous about speaking to an immortal about anything, let alone revealing his identity to one. He saw how carefully the skeleton watched him and felt the anticipation in the air. At last he answered, "I'm Shane."

"And you, a mere boy, would confront Kashomen?"

Shane felt as if Madorye were looking down on him, sneering at him and telling him he couldn't do it. He was very tired of being underestimated and laughed at. He said firmly, "I will if it comes to that. I'll do whatever I have to do in order to save my sister."

Madorye chuckled: it was loud and strong and booming, filled the room and made Shane's heart beat a little faster, "You speak with a strong will but I can feel that there is fear inside of you. Do you not know? Only the Goddess can seal away Kashomen, for he is as strong and untamed as the wind itself, I sacrificed my life and the life of all of my children to keep him trapped within the bounds of this temple, now that he is once again loose I fear that none can stop him. It is clear that this world must end, don't you agree? I gave up all I had to keep Kashomen bound forever, but my life and the life of my descendents must be worth very little after all. I was not born of royal blood, you see, I was not even born within the boundaries of this desert. My father died when I was a child and the people of our village blamed my mother, they said she was a witch because she could use such powerful magic. She fled with me to this desert and we found refuge with the Gerudo women. They saw my strength and made me their king. I built this temple for myself, I took a wife, she bore me a son, I had everything I could ever need or want for, but the temple was twisted by the darkness of the South Wind, my wife was stolen from me by Kashomen and my son fell ill.

Madorye's voice was very soft and filled with a sadness that crept into Shane's heart, overwhelming him. "I went to the Goddess for help and asked that she would destroy Kashomen. She took my life, imprisoning me here and said the lives of all my male descendents belonged to her. But even she could not protect us from Kashomen; he roams free again. There is nothing anyone can do to stop him, this curse will go unbroken, all of Hyrule will fall into darkness, the way is closed to us. Go home, boy, spend what remains of your days with what is left of your family, never hope to see your sister again, she has fallen another victim. You have not the strength nor the courage to put an end to this, it is something not even a king was able to accomplish. Go home lad, do not waste your life thus, it is obvious that you are not the kind of warrior required."

At the words, Shane's face turned beat red with anger, he clenched his fists and chin, watched the immortal king turn back toward his throne. "NO," he said, voice trembling with fury, "I must have that pendant! You may not think it's worth it to confront Kashomen, but you don't have anything to lose—you're already dead, there's nothing left for you: no home, no loved one, no dignity! The Goddess broke you, your wife and son are dead, your life is gone, but not I! I have a father and a mother, I have people who love me, a home and I have a future, and a sister who needs me more than anything else in the world, and I will not turn my back on her! Do you understand? I didn't come all this way and nearly die to be turned away by the likes of you!"

The immortal king looked at him sharply, "Do not trifle with the immortals, boy. You know not who you sneer at."

Shane spat, "The living rule over the dead, I know that much. You must give me that pendant, I will not take no for an answer."

"I see you are a brash lad, Shane," Madorye said quietly, "it is an audacious move to speak thus to me. Do you not value your own life?"

"I value the life of my sister and parents, as well as the prosperity of my King, Queen and home land, these are things I will fight for, even if it means to the end of me."

Madorye held his sword out; "You challenge me for the pendant then, do you? Very well, I shall teach you and show you the ways of your own foolishness. Cross blades with me boy!"

The pair stood apart from each other and crossed swords, Shane staring intensely up into the empty sockets of the dead king. He whirled his blade suddenly, trying to cut into Madorye's arm, slashing and hacking with the Blade of Fire. He danced away as Madorye attacked in full, sweeping swings trying to slice through Shane's flesh in the arms, leg or torso. He managed to clip a lock of the boy's hair before Shane leapt away, watching carefully for the movement of his foe's torso that would give away his next strike.

Madorye held a hand up to the ceiling, shouted loudly and a ball of fire appeared on his open palm. He flung it at the boy and it flew at Shane dancing and flickering bright orange. Shane felt the heat on his face, yelped and dove away, barely avoiding incineration.

With a battle cry he charged the immortal king, sword glowing red, the ring of steel on steel carrying through the room as the two swords hit together. Shane swung around, trying to get between Madorye's sword and chest to stab where the heart should be, but the immortal lunged away, then back again, slashing his blade tip close to Shane's face.

The teenager yelped in fear and surprise and was able to bare evade the onslaught, lifted his shield into place and the king's blow smashed against it, sending pain lancing up the boy's arm to his shoulder. His fingers went numb almost immediately but his arm retained its usefulness. Keeping his eyes on his foe, Shane jumped away and Madorye's sword caught him on the thigh, tearing the trews and part of the Dark Tunic. Fortunately it only left a shadow of a scrape on the skin and Shane faded back, twirling his blade so that it met again with Madorye's enormous weapon. 

On and on the two went through the room, spinning and lunging and parrying each other's attacks, locking their bodies together and trying to knock each other down. In an odd way it looked like they were dancing, crossing between and through the shadows, the cold of the temple making Shane's movements a little stiff. Soon he realized that while he was heaving and panting and sweating Madorye remained completely unaffected by the rigorous physical demands. Sweat was pouring down Shane's forehead, dripping off his chin and streaking his cheeks. He was afraid that it would get into his eyes and blind him, leaving him open to Madorye's attacks. _That will be the end of the Great Hero._ He reminded himself a little bitterly. 

A little desperately, the teenager did a backflip to put distance between himself and his opponent. He stood back and watched as Madorye approached, floating more than walking, engulfed by an eerie violet aura. "What's the matter, little one?" the king asked quietly, "do you not want to fight anymore? Can you also see how futile this is?"

Shane spat and rubbed his face without taking his eyes off the foe, "It isn't futile—I _will_ get that pendant."

"Such a shame that one so young insists on throwing his life away, but regardless lad, I cannot allow you to have the pendant. I must send you away into the darkness of sleep now." Not warning Shane any further Madorye created a large, green-black ball that hummed and glowed with a supernatural energy, flames of a brighter green sprouted from the floor and roared around Shane, and though they emanated no heat, the boy knew that to touch them was to die a gruesome death. They were growing closer though, forcing him to step in towards Madorye. The teenager held his sword tightly and watched the ghost king with tired eyes. He waited until he saw the stiff twitching movement in Madorye's torso and was able to anticipate the moment when he threw his weapon then barely escaped it. He used the opportunity to dash back in close to his enemy, sword flying.

Madorye hadn't expected Shane to be so well prepared for his fire ball and was clearly surprised that the youth was rushing at him. He tried to lift his sword to block the attack but he was too slow and Shane's red blade cut into the king's chest, shredding his already tattered robes and breaking the old bones there. The king cried out and stumbled, fell to his knees, holding the bloodless wound. 

Shane stood over him, screaming, lifted his sword to behead the king.

Suddenly a bright, golden light was flowing around him, shooting out from Madorye's body. It stopped Shane's attack, immobilizing him and holding his arms over his head, sword and all. Shane struggled to follow through with his blow but he couldn't make his arms move. It was as if some invisible person were holding his arms back. Slowly, against his own will, his arms lowered and were pinned at his sides. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't lift them again, and worse yet, he couldn't move even one foot, as if both boots were made of stone.

A sweet, melodious voice entered his head. It was whispery, like a gentle breeze over the sand, and bright and somehow powerful like the afternoon sun. _"You've done well, young one, but you'll not slay my servant." _He looked around frantically for the owner of the voice, but it was still just himself and the ghost king. Madorye's entire body was glowing with that incredible light now. Something about the golden light made Shane feel warm.

At his feet, Madorye whispered, "M-my Lady…you protected me…?"

"_Of course I did, my servant, did I not promise to you that I would?"_

"But…but you…?"

"_It was a high price to pay, I know, but you gave your life for my service and in turn I swore to protect you. This boy has a powerful role in what will become of your people, but I cannot allow him to kill you."_

Shane looked around again, half-expecting to see the Sun Goddess standing nearby, but still there was nothing but the heavenly light filling the entire room. The voice spoke to him.

"_Listen to me young one, your trials have been many and your journey has been difficult, but you have proven both your courage and your strength; you shall receive what you came here for. King Madorye, grant the youth his prize."_

Madorye stood up slowly, hand still over his would, he looked down at Shane, his face covered with pale flesh again, his eyes leaking tears and his gray beard blowing in the unnatural wind. "My Goddess…how can I ever repay your generosity."

"_You've already fulfilled your duty to me, my son, today you shall come home to the land of your mothers."_ The light began to fade, growing paler and paler until at last it was only natural sunlight streaming through the windows and Shane was left to face the aged, but flesh and bone man. 

"Shane," Madorye whispered, "do you know what you've done? You've awakened the compassion of my Goddess, she has chosen to spare us both, and although I am not sure how I know, I am sure that it is because of you. For so long I have been bitter over my losses and even over some of my gains, for so long I have watched the world through blind eyes, hoping to see one who could bring hope to my people and my descendents, and now you have come to me, not to trick or deceive me, not to take for your own gain, but with selfless love in your heart. For this, I am grateful. I believe that the Goddess is right, the future of my people will change because of you, you are there future. At last I believe that everything I've done has been for the best of those around me, and because of that I am thankful. You opened my dead eyes."

He lifted both hands and an orange light shimmered above them and there was a brilliant flash. A moment later Madorye was holding a pale, orange pearl in his hands: the Pendant of Wisdom. 

"I want you to take the pendant, Shane, as far as I'm concerned you've earned it and you deserve to save your sister. Please save my people from Kashomen, please seal him away again." He handed the pendant to the boy ceremoniously and Shane accepted it, eyes wide with awe.

As soon as the final pendant was in his hands Shane felt different. His entire body hummed with unnatural energy, it began to glow a bright, powerful purple. It flowed through him, burning in his blood and making his limbs numb, his head spun with dizziness and it was hard to breathe. He found that he couldn't grip his sword and shield anymore, dropped them. The Pendants of Courage and Power came from around his neck and all three of them rose into the air, circling over his head and glowing their respective colors. Shane was trapped in a trance, his body still immobile, his lungs unable to draw breath. He couldn't even blink or move his lips. Then there was a brilliant flash of light and Shane lost his sight for several minutes, the humming was loud in his ears and his body was light as a feather. Then the hum began to die, became softer and softer as the seconds ticked away, and soon it was gone. Shane could see again but the Pendants were gone, as was Madorye. He was alone in the ancient throne room.

Able to move again, Shane looked around the emptiness, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Madorye's voice came to him, _"I go to join the gods and my ancestors today, but you still have much life ahead of you: the Pendants are inside of you, giving you their power, their wisdom, and their courage. Go now, Shane the Hero, and slay Kashomen, set my people free of this terrible curse and bring hope to the Last Gerudo King. And…thank-you, my young friend, you've blessed an old man in ways you cannot imagine."_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Spirit of the South Wind

Shane rode again with the Gerudo King, this time south into the deep, deep desert. It took a full day to ride on horse back to the camp of the rebel Gerudos and by the time the fires of the camp were in sight the moon was beginning to rise and Shane's heart was beginning to hammer. He looked at Shade; the young king was staring at the camp where they would fight, his eyes intense, his dark face shadowed. His mouth was set firmly and he looked ready to spill blood and kill.

At the Gerudo fortress, after Shane's return, the King of Thieves had been speechless to see the Staff of Thieves and to hear the tale that Shane told. It had given him hope that perhaps his life would not be wasted after all, and due to that hope, he had promised to aid Shane in saving his sister, and Hyrule. After healing Shane's wounds they'd set off at once.

Now they were there.

The camp was large. There were a number of tents and Gerudo women with black hair were marching around the perimeter with weapons, alert. There was a tall tower in the center of the camp where they'd be able to see the two boys coming, so Shane and his companion stayed close to the rocks surrounding the camp. Under cover of darkness they moved in, leaving their horses at a nearby oasis and going the rest of the way on foot. The two boys crouched behind a tent and watched the nearby sentries warily. Shane kept his body stiff and ready incase he needed to pull his sword and fight. He was amused by the fact that he was unafraid. The boy Link had sent off nearly two weeks ago would have been terrified and ready to run at any moment, but Shane felt calm and fearless, strong like a wild lion, untamable like a stallion. He knew now that he had the strength to kill and the courage to overcome any obstacle. 

"Look there, Shane," Shade pointed suddenly, toward the middle of the camp.

There was a tall, wooden pole erected at the center, under a tall, bronze statue of a tall man with a twisted, cruel mouth and demonic eyes. Lily was tied to the pole and several Rebel Gerudos were standing around her holding torches and spears. Among them was a tall man wearing a long, black hood.

"That's her," Shane gasped, "that's my sister—it's Lily! And that man, in the cloak…"

"It's Kashomen." The King replied darkly, his voice shaking a little with obvious agitation. "I've never seen him before, but that must be him. Who else can it be?" He looked at his companion, eyes full of hatred, "What's our first move, Hero? The moon will rise soon."  
"You're the King, don't you want a say in the plan?"

Shade shook his head, "I'm here to help you, brother, but I am yours to command."

Understandingly, Shane nodded, "We'll confront Kashomen immediately, before he has a chance to kill my sis-"

The King of Thieves cut him off, "What are they doing?"

At the words, Shane looked out again at the camp. Kashomen was walking away toward a large tent, a number of women behind him. Lily watched them go. Then, suddenly, the camp was quiet, there was no noise, no sound of voices, and no movement in the darkness. The fire, and the prisoner, were unattended. 

"They all just left…" Shade muttered.

"It could be a trap."

"It definitely is."

"Well, that's not going to stop me; I'm here to rescue my sister and kill Kashomen. So I'll spring his trap, I don't care about anything else."

"Not very tactful." Shade commented doubtfully.

But it was too late, Shane had already stood from his place beside his friend and was marching toward the middle of the camp. With a sigh, Shade got up and followed, starting at every noise and clutching his own saber tightly.

Lily saw her brother coming and her mouth dropped open, her eyes went wide and she could only stare, wondering if what she saw were real. It couldn't be, there was no way Shane would have come here. This boy was much too different to be Shane—he had a look of confidence, and air of serenity and determination. He even appeared to be a little older than her brother. He was dressed all in green like her father, but the face was that of her brother's. A sword was on his back, as was a bow and quiver and a shield. She gasped, "Shane?"

The apparition smiled, "Yes Lily, it's me."

"It can't be! Who are you really? My brother would never come out here for me! He's only good for watching horses."

The other young man, the Gerudo boy, snorted, "Sounds like you've got the confidence of your sister, my brother."

Shane, or at least the boy who looked like Shane, stepped closer, shaking his head, "No, Lily, it really is me, I came to save you. I know I let you and father down when they came, but I've change, I'm going to get you out of this."

"Shane," Lily couldn't stop the tears from running, and she couldn't dry them away, "he'll kill you—he'll kill us both."

"Never." Shane reached for the ropes, began to untie them deftly, ordering Shade to keep watch. A moment later the ropes were loose and the two siblings were in one another's arms, Lily crying in her brother's shirt. It felt so good to be in his arms, to feel his strength and his love. And at the same time she was so afraid, so terrified of what Argoka'shomen would do to him. She'd witnessed his cruelty in the last few weeks, she'd seen the evil things he could do to those on his side, let alone the ones who opposed him.

"There's no time for that," Shade snapped, "we should get your sister back to where the horses are, after that we can come back for Kashomen."

"He's right," Shane said, taking his sister by the hand, "Lily, let's go."

Together, the trio started back the way they'd come.

Bright orange-red flames shot up from the ground suddenly, surrounding the perimeter of the camp. Shade almost walked into them, stepped back, yelping. A cruel laughter echoed around them, seeming to come from everywhere, the shadows grew darker and the light of the fire seemed dimmed. Shane looked up at the sky: the harvest moon was beginning to rise, barely caressing the desert with its new light. He spun around, fists tight and ready, facing the Spirit of the South Wind.

Kashomen was tall, much taller than he'd looked from a distance, and towered at least two heads over the boy. His flesh was pale, which sort of surprised Shane: it looked gray and dead. His hair was white and ragged, although most of it was covered by his black hood. He had his arms folded in front of him and an army of dark-haired Gerudos was behind him. But most fearsome about the demon was his eyes. The right eye was small and lacking in a pupil, it was bright, crimson red and very cold. The other eye was a completely vacant socket, dark like a bottomless pit. He had no eyebrows and that only added to his terrifying appearance.

"Well, well, so it's a band of children, is it?" his voice was low and raspy, it sounded like sand being blown over stone, or like dead leaves being trampled. It had all the life and gentility of a ruthless autumn and made Shane shiver all up and down the spine.

Regardless, the teenager stared back at him, "Kashomen!" he snarled, reaching for his sword.

"So you know who I really am, do you boy? How did you discover such a secret?"

His eyes darted from Shane to the Gerudo King, then he smiled knowingly, "Ah, the desert brat told you, did he? Tricky. You have many resources, Shane of Hyrule, but you are not strong."

Shade stepped out in front of his friend, spoke to the women with Kashomen loudly, "My people, please listen to me! I am your King! This monster you're with is not who you think he is! This is Kashomen, the evil spirit of the southern wind; Ganondorf released him, and now he's trying to destroy us all! He will kill all of you unless you join me again."

Almost lazily, Kashomen waved his left hand, brandishing, black, jagged fingernails. Shade was flung backward and sent sprawling in the dirt from the supernatural attack. A cloud of dust raised around him and he cried out from surprise.

The demon said, "Shut it, boy, these people have turned from you, they belong to me now."

"You'll never have them!" Shade struggled to his feet, obviously shaken by the magic. 

"Oh, won't I?"

"No! It's my right to rule them, I'm their king!"

Kashomen's mouth twisted into an evil smile, revealing sharp teeth, "Very well then, if I can't have them," he waved his hand again, "no one can."

Blood spurted. Women screamed. All the Gerudos in the camp suddenly collapsed, screaming and writhing in pain, some of them were crying out to their Goddess. Shane felt horrified by the gore and waste of life around him. He recognized some of the Gerudos who'd kidnapped Lily, and suddenly he pitied them.

Shade screamed, "Nooooo! How could you!" Almost as if the attack were draining him as well, the King of Thieves fell to his knees, staring as his once-were-subjects died around him.

Kashomen laughed sadistically, "You're too young to rule as it is. I put them out of the misery they would have had to endure at your hands."

"You!" Shane snapped, "You're evil!" He felt that his statement was fairly obviously, but he just couldn't get over the merciless destruction around him.

The demon bowed a little, "Good to meet you: and you're Shane, the son of the Hero of Time." He began to circle around the teenager, keeping his red eye fixed on the hero, "I must admit, boy, I'm surprised to see you: I was expecting your father, the Hero of Time. I just assumed he would be coming for his daughter. From what I know of you, you're nothing but a young coward, afraid of the dark itself. I never expected that you would come after the very source of the night, but I suppose it just goes to show: if you're that big a coward and your father sent _you_ in _his_ place, everything I've heard about him must be no more than hearsay. He's a bigger coward than you are."

Lily screamed, "How dare you speak about my father that way! He's the greatest man who's ever lived, he destroyed Ganondorf and freed the sages! If he were here now you'd already be dead!"

"How sweet it is of you to defend his honor. But what will you do, little girl? Will you, in his stead and the stead of your brother, defeat me? I think not. You've been here many moons already and you've done no more than blow smoke. You're a kitten. All three of you are. Oh well, now that you're all here I should get much more satisfying results: the Hero of Time is still the only man in Hyrule who can destroy me, I'll kill the desert princeling and see if Link comes to rescue _both _of his children."

The girl glared at Kashomen, but she spoke to her brother, whispering, "Shane, you never should have come here, now he'll kill us both."

Shane only shook his head grimly, "He'll kill no one else." Pulling his sword from his sheathe he stepped forward, shouted loudly, "Kashomen! My father sent me to rescue my sister, my Queen sent me to collect the three pendants of Courage, Power and Wisdom, Shade, the King of the Gerudos and his forefather Madorye sent me to seal you again in the Staff of Thieves, but I swear to you, I've come too far and fought too hard to lose to the likes of you, or to risk you escaping in another one thousand years. I promise on my father's honor that I will do more than rid the world of you, I will destroy you, so stand forth now, and do battle with me!"

Horrified by her brother's words, Lily cried out, seized him by the arm, "Shane don't!"

The boy only shook her off and paced back and forth, eyes on Kashomen.

After a moment the demon laughed, "You? Destroy me? Children are so amusing. Apparently boy the pain you've endured has not taught you the lesson you needed to learn, and that lesson is this: you are a coward, you walk in your father's shadow, and though you may wear his boots, you cannot fill them—you cannot destroy me. However," he smiled icily, "I will derive the greatest pleasure from dismembering the only son of Link, the Hero of Time. Oh yes, he will weep when he hears of how you died, and then he will be filled with rage, and he will come to me, broken arm or no, and he will try to kill me, but he'll fall easily, like his son, leaving this kingdom open for me to destroy."

Shane smiled back calmly, "No Kashomen, you're wrong. Your time in this world is over." The teenager drew his sword back, he leapt at the demon, swung at his face in an attempt to lay it open. 

Kashomen faded like black smoke and Shane stumbled a little.

"Shane! Behind you!" Lily screamed.

The boy turned around to see Kashomen standing there, grinning evilly. He backhanded the boy, sending him flying through the air. Shane slammed against the statue and fell sprawled in the dirt. He got up immediately, lips and teeth bleeding, sword flashing silver in the moonlight. The harvest moon was still rising, a perfectly round, golden orb in the night sky. 

Shane slashed and stabbed at Kashomen, walking forward steadily and swinging his blade. It sung through the air, missing each time. With each swing Shane became more frustrated.

At last the demon reached out and caught the boy's wrist tightly, preventing him from attacking. He watched with satisfaction as the boy struggled and kicked at him, then he clenched tightly, trying to break the small bones in Shane's wrist. Shane screamed and fought to get away. 

Angrily, Shade ran at Kashomen, his saber glimmering as he sliced the air, "Get away from him!" The edge of his blade caught the air and missed the demon. Kashomen lifted Shane up like he weighed nothing and threw him against his companion and both boys fell in the sand, limbs tangled up, swords dangerously close to hurting one another. As carefully as possible, they stood up, charged Kashomen again, shouting battle cries. 

The Spirit hovered off the ground several feet, his cape flew back behind him, alive with the dark magic Kashomen possessed. He laughed and an orb of purple darkness was born in his hand, he flung it at them and it grew like a net, trapping them inside and freezing them in place. He approached them, feet still not touching the ground. He slapped Shade back and forth across the face and the Gerudo growled and screamed, struggling to make his body word, but in vain. Then he hovered close to Shane, looking him in the eyes. Shane could smell his foul breath and it made him gag and retch.

"It must be frustrating, little boy, to have come all this way only to be trampled by me. You worked very hard, didn't you," he ran a long, ragged fingernail down Shane's neck, leaving a long, white mark. Shane shivered. "And now I'm going to kill you. How frustrating. But don't worry, because I'm in no hurry. That useless father of yours will come eventually but I don't expect him tomorrow. I'll kill you all in good time, but first you'll watch me violate your sister."

Shane's heart froze, he stared at the man, lips trembling as he struggled to move, "You wouldn't!"

"My boy, I am a demon, for years I took the desert women for myself, I played with them as a cat does a mouse, and then I killed them. I did it to Madorye's wife, I did it to many of his daughters and to the women who've been in this desert since the beginning of time. Nothing stops me. Nothing can. And your sister is young, she has hair like the sun, flesh like the moon, she's ripe for the taking, and you," he caught a handful of Shane's hair in his hand, "you're helpless to stop me."

He released the clump of hair and strode to where Lily was standing, muscles tense, face pale. He moved with cat-like sureness, body coiled with muscle and strength. The girl saw him coming and began to back away. Scrambled to retrieve a Gerudo weapon.

"Don't you touch her!" Shane screamed, straining to turn his head, "Don't you dare touch her!"

Kashomen didn't reply, he reached for Lily, giant hand dark like a shadow. Lily lashed out at him with the spear she'd picked up, but he was too fast and she missed, slashed again, crying out a little. Kashomen seized the spear and wrenched it away, flung it over his shoulder and it barely missed impaling Shade. 

Lily screamed and stepped back, tripped and fell, crawled away from him, screaming and kicking at him. He reached down and caught her face, pulled her up against his chest and kissed her sadistically as she beat on his chest and struggled to get away.

"Stop it!" Shane screamed, his body beginning to ache from the strain and the magic, "I'll kill you if you touch her! I'll kill you!"

Kashomen undid the first button on Lily's dress, pinned her back against a tent and ignored her protests as well as the boys'. He grinned wolfishly over his shoulder at the girls brother and then kissed her neck.

Suddenly there was a bright, white flair that momentarily blinded Shane. He found himself released from the magic, collapsed in the dirt beside Shade. When he could see again Kashomen was sitting in the sand, dazed, and Vash was standing between him and Lily, glaring down into the demon's face.

"Vash!" Shane shouted, getting to his feet and helping Shade up, "I thought you said I'd never see you again."

Without looking at his friend the Sheikah said, "I thought I should come and help you after all. It's a good thing I did."

Kashomen was getting up again too, "So, it's the little Shiekah boy, is it? Shouldn't you be hiding in some dark corner where no one can see what you're going to do next? You Sheikah are all alike," he sneered, "you're cowards, there's nothing you can do to protect this world, your race is dead."

"But I am not dead," Vash said firmly, "and I will help my friend and his sister, even if it means you will kill me."

"Fool. You're quite young to have a death wish." Kashomen lunged at the Sheikah, reaching for him with his twisted hands, an intent to kill buried deep in his features.

Vash was lithe, performed an arching backflip, landed not far away and drew a pair of knives from his side. He spun around in a tight circle, the blades seeming to glow an odd, dark blue. He slashed at Kashomen and the demon withdrew, growling and clutching his arm.

Shane watched uncertainly; he was struggling to stay on his feet, felt weak and stiff from the magic the demon had cast over him. It felt as if it would take hours for him to be at full capacity again, but he reached for his sword anyway. He glanced at Shade; the Gerudo King's face was dark with rage and fear, his eyes were bright, filled with the light from the orange moon, his hands were cupped and a strange, crimson flame was dancing between them, growing and growing, a round halo of red light surrounding it. He seemed to sense Shane watching, "I cannot do this more than once, but I think that if I hit him he'll be wounded bad enough for you to go in and kill him. Understand? As soon as this hits you've got to finish him off."

"I get it."

Shade added softly, "He's strong, Hero, stronger than I even imagined…if this doesn't work I don't think anything will."

The words were very discouraging to Shane, and he turned again to watch as Vash danced with Kashomen, his blades a flurry of blue, his golden hair like a flaming angel's crown. His eyes were fierce, his teeth bright in the darkness. Kashomen was clearly frustrated by the Sheikah's ability to dodge him. He had his own weapon now, a long, stiff morning star with wicked, long, steel spikes protruding from it, aching to taste young blood. 

Lily, much to Shane's relief, had gotten far away from Kashomen and was standing on the edge of the camp, watching in fear. He could see her trembling, even from the distance between them.

"It's ready." Shade said suddenly. "As soon as he's in position I'm throwing it. You ready…brother?"

Shane nodded, settled himself in a position that would leave him ready to spring.

Vash turned around, positioning Kashomen so that Shade would have a clear shot.

The Gerudo King took a deep breath, flexed his arm muscles and flung his weapon.

Kashomen turned again, moving out of the path of the magic beam. Vash, oblivious to the danger, moved directly into it.

"No!" Shane screamed.

But it was too late. The magic sped through the air, a bright flash of crimson, sparkling and crackling with energy. It struck the Sheikah at the back of the neck and his body went stiff, suspended in mid-air, arms frozen at his sides, leaving him open for attack. His frame was engulfed by a flaming, red aura and his cry pierced the night.

As soon as Kashomen saw the predicament his eyes gleamed with joy. He moved in close to Vash, his breath stirring the Sheikah boy's hair. Vash's eyes were wide with terror. Shane was moving forward as quickly as he could, blade sparkling and ready, knowing full well that there was nothing he could do.

The Spirit of the South Wind plunged one clawed hand into Vash' chest, blood spurted from the wound, squirting bright red, gushing from the flesh and flowing down the front of his body. He screamed in pain, struggling to move, blood shot from his mouth like vomit and he crumpled to the ground, writhing and crying.

Shane stumbled, horrified by the sight of it. His very heart seemed to stop beating, he could only stare, his eyes beginning to line with tears, his lips trembled and his hands shook. He couldn't move, he couldn't even speak, but his mouth formed the words…_no…_

Never before had he felt such a loss. He'd never lost a friend or a family member or even a well-loved pet. His life had been sheltered and peaceful and perfect. Now he was watching someone he cared about-no, someone he _loved-_die right in front of him. And he realized he did love Vash. The Sheikah had looked out for him, he'd encouraged him, even saved his life, and ultimately had revealed that there _was _courage deep inside of Shane. He had changed his life. He was like his brother.

Shade whispered hoarsely, "I'm…sorry Hero…I didn't mean to-he got in the way—it was an accident."

But Shane barely heard him. He was suddenly unaware of anything. The lifeless shape of Vash sprawled on the desert floor was all he could look at, Kashomen's demonic laughter filled his head, blotting out all other sounds.

And deep within him, Shane felt a flame of pure rage burning hotter than the warmth of the desert sun. He'd never in his life been so truly angry. He'd never felt such a fierce desire to kill.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Hero

In another instant he was at Vash's side, rolling him over, looking into his pale face, touching his hair, whispering, "No, come on Vash, come on. No. No. You can't be dead. You can't! I won't let this happen! I'm stronger than this! I'm _Link's_ son, I'm the son of the _Hero of Time!_ This can't happen! I won't let it!" Tears ran in a straight line down his face, dripping onto the Sheikah's face one after the other. But nothing happened. Vash remained flaccid in his arms.

"Well, now you've done it boy, you've gone and killed your friend." Kashomen said with a chuckle, "Some hero you are: you came to save your sister and you've killed the Sheikah. How will you explain it? How will you condone it?"

"No," Shade said angrily, bitterly, "he didn't kill him, _I _did. It was me. I did it all. I didn't mean to…" for several minutes he went on babbling, apologizing, offering Shane his life but none of it actually mattered. 

Murmuring a prayer to the Goddesses, Shane laid Vash's head back down on the sand, reverently, and then took up his sword, stared Kashomen down, his eyes still bleeding tears. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and said lowly, "I didn't kill Vash, and Shade didn't kill him either. You did. My vengeance belongs with you."

"How noble. But so far it was _Vash_ who fared the best against me. Do you honestly believe you can do it without him? Look at you—you're just a little boy after all."

Clutching the Blade of Fire in one hand, Shane picked up one of Vash's daggers; he said quietly, "I've got something you haven't got—something you can _never_ have. It's true I have spent most of my life as a coward, I have failed at many things, and I have lived my whole life in my father's shadow, believing that I'm afraid of everything. 

"Before Vash died he showed me that I have a form of courage of my own, something my father's been trying to tell me about, but I never understood. Up until I met Vash I always thought that courage was a lack of fear…but he showed me that it's nothing more than doing what I know is right, and not running away, even when I'm terrified. I'll admit, Kashomen, I'm afraid of you—I'm afraid of evil things. But I stopped running. I went into the temples and I killed the spirits you put there, and I did it by myself. So I don't believe I'm a coward anymore. I _do_ believe I'm a hero, and it's not because of what I've done," Shane looked over his shoulder at Shade: the Gerudo King was standing silent and alert. He made eye contact with Lily: his sister had moved closer, was holding a Gerudo sword, her eyes bright with tears, her face strong with her father's courage. He looked down again at Vash, dead on the sand. Then he said, "It's not because of who _I _am, it's because of who _they _are. I never could have done this without my family and my friends, they made me a hero, they believed in me, and they're beside me now. I love them all: my parents, my sister, my friends—I love them all. _That's_ what you don't have—_that's_ the kind of strength you'll _never_ experience…you'll regret that, because it's the only kind of power that's good enough to destroy…something like you!" 

Kashomen was silent, but his mouth was curved in a twisted smile. He gestured for Shane to come forward.

Almost as if obeying, Shane marched toward him. Behind him he heard the footsteps of Shade and Lily crunching in the sand, following him, ready. He heard the Gerudo King whisper, "I can do it one more time brother, I feel it…and this time I'll make sure I hit him."

Shane didn't answer; before he knew it he was standing chest to chest with Kashomen, looking up into his face, mouth fixed in an angry frown. Kashomen looked back at him, emanating hatred. 

Without warning, Shane slashed Vash's blade at the demon. Kashomen leapt back just in time, but not quite fast enough. The blade plunged deep into his arm, was embedded there. He shouted and cursed, a dark blue light spread up over his arm like placid and it hung limply. He struggled to get out of the way as Shane attacked again, this time with the Blade of Fire. 

The boy pulled the Staff of Thieves from his belt and watched Kashomen's eyes fill with fear. He smiled, "Don't worry, I'm not going to use this: I don't need to."

Immediately he dropped the staff, clutched his sword in both hands and shouted a battle cry. 

He'd never fought so fiercely in his life. Moving in and feinting back, slashing and hacking and spinning the blade, making it sing and hum in the clear, hot air. He gave Kashomen no peace, no room to rest or breathe. He deflected the magic attacks the demon sent at him, blocked the physical blows he dealt. Several times Shane was hit, but he ignored it, kept moving. When he was knocked down he rose again and drove forward. Blood oozed from his wounds and burned, his right eye was darkened by it, cutting his vision in half, his muscles were ripped, several bones got broken and the magic attacks left burns. His breathing was ragged and strained but he moved ever forward, screaming and shouting. 

His sword was knocked out of his hands.

Lily screamed.

Kashomen laughed cruelly and reached for the boy.

"NOW SHADE!"

The Desert Thief released his weapon again, this time it hit its target and Kashomen was held helplessly in place by the magic.

"SHANE! YOUR SWORD!"

Shane rushed back to his sword, stumbling a little and trying to wipe the blood from his vision. He didn't have time to picke the blade up. 

"SHANE"!

Shane spun around. Kashomen was coming toward him slowly, as if each step were impossibly difficult. But he was still making progress.

"IT WASN'T ENOUGH!" Shade shouted in dismay. "IT COULDN'T HOLD HIM!"

Kashomen lifted one hand, slowly, like it was made of led. A shining black ball of magic was born there. It glimmered and swelled under the moonlight. It danced like a temptress. "Thisss….will….kill….you…_hero…"_

He tilted back. His arm was sinewed with muscles, his fingertips were trembling.

Out of nowhere a bright blue halo of magic struck Kashomen freezing him in place. His face contorted in pain.

Shane turned wildly to stare at the source. Vash was sitting up on his knees, one hand clutching his bleeding chest, the other stretched out in front of him, creating the magic. He managed to say "Now Shane…do it…. NOW…."

With a brief nod Shane ran at Kashomen, spoke the words to create din's fire and felt it burning on his fist. Still in the act of running he drew his arm back, flung a fist at Kashomen and screamed, "BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!"

He felt his fist pierce the skin. Then it was inside of Kashomen, surrounded by blood and lungs and tissue, the flame had eaten through his skin like water through dirt. He touched the demon's beating heart. He wrapped his hand around it. His fist clenched. It squeezed. The heart throbbed. Kashomen gasped and stared, his eyes bulging as he fought to breathe. 

Saliva drooled from Shane's lips, his teeth were clenched as he growled, "You have no need for this…"

He ripped it away. Blood sprayed hot in his face. 

There was an explosion of dark purple and deep red, Kashomen screamed out in pain, his body withered and collapsed, his limbs were twisted and he landed heavily on the sand; a dark pool of blood spread out from his body, staining the sand. Shane held the still-beating heart in his hand. He turned to the King of Gerudos.

Shade was staring, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. There was blood splattered on his face and his skin was moist with perspiration. 

Deliberately, Shane stretched his hand out, presenting the heart, "Your people are free, King…"

Shane stumbled back to where Vash was laying. The Sheikah was panting, sweat was pouring from his forehead and his eyes were shut tight. But he managed to smile when he knew Shane was kneeling beside him. He laughed shakily, "See Hero? You did it after all," he choked on his own blood, "and all those times you thought you were a coward…"

"Vash," Shane whispered, touched his friends forehead, "oh, Vash…you didn't have to come back…"

"I did though. I had to help you. I wanted to. We sheikah…we're done, like he said…we're extinct…the world…doesn't need us…anymore. But you…the world needs you…even if it was only for this one thing…and your parents…they need you too…I'm young, but my life was already over…before I knew you…I can die now, and I can die in peace. I did what I needed to do…I helped you save the world. I may only be a footnote in the passing of time…but…I owed it…to you and your father…"

"I don't want you to die Vash, I don't think you deserve it."

"No one gets…what the…deserve…"

Feeling the tears' return, Shane found Vash's hand, clenched it tight in his own, "Vash, you don't know what you've done for me: it's only because of you that I could do this. You've helped me in so many ways. I know I've got courage now, and it's because of you. I can't let you die! I need to thank you!"

"You…can't defeat death…Hero…that's the one thing…no one…can over come…"

Vash looked like he was trying to sleep now, his eyes shut gently, his face relaxed and composed. In the moonlight his face looked radiant. "Good…bye…Hero…and thank _you_…for all you've done…"

"Goodbye brave Sheikah…" Shane kissed him very gently on the forehead. "I'll make sure you become more than just a footnote."

Slowly the Sheikah began to fade. At first Shane thought it was only his imagination, but as he rubbed his eyes and stared harder he saw that Vash really was disappearing. Soon his body was completely transparent, and then there was nothing but sand, and Shane was simply clenching an empty fist. It burned like it had been asleep for several moments and he removed the gauntlet to allow some blood to flow back into it. He was startled to see a small, blue, diamond-shaped mark on his palm. He rubbed at it but it didn't go away, and it didn't hurt. 

Shade and Lily came up behind him; the Gerudo King spoke first, "I am truly sorry Hero, it's my fault your friend is dead."

Rising slowly but not facing them, Shane said, "No Shade, don't blame yourself. It was an accident, I understand."

There was a moment of silence and then Lily sobbed, "Well…you did it Shane…I've got to admit I didn't think you could, I thought Argo'kashomen would eat you alive, but…I was wrong. Can you ever forgive me for doubting you?"

"I can't hold a grudge against you sister, I've doubted myself for too long." He looked back and smiled at her sadly. "Never mind."

She managed to smile back.

Then Shade smiled. 

All three were smiling, and in a place so full of death it seemed unnatural, and yet it brought a wholesome comfort into Shane's heart as he realized that he was with friends, people who cared for him, and that he had finally done something in his life to smile about. 

He had conquered the source of Darkness.

The sun was beginning to come up by the time the three of them got back to the horses. They had set the camp on fire since it was custom to burn dead Gerudos and to make sure there would be no remains of Kashomen or his evil. Then they had set out, silent as they made their way back. The sunlight was glorious as it came up over the sand, giving the land a rosy, orange tint. 

At the oasis they washed the blood off themselves, treated each others wounds, ate, watered the horses and even slept a little before getting ready to leave.

Shane shook hands with the King of Gerudos. Shade grinned his mischevious smile, "I must thank you, brother, you've brought peace back to my people and hope back into my life. I'm glad I trusted you—you're a good man, and I feel I must strive to be more like you."

"Thank you for everything you've done Shade, I'll never forget it…you've changed everything I ever thought about your people."

"I'm glad for that." The King mounted his horse and looked seriously at Shane, "What happened to the staff?"

Shane blushed, "Oh, I'm sorry Shade, I forgot all about it…I could go back and look for it."

"No, forget about it. We don't need it anymore." Shade shook his head, then he grinned again, "Goodbye, brother, come visit me some time. And don't forget about our covenant." With that he spurred his horse and rode away into the desert, toward the Gerudo camp, shouting back, "I want to race again next time I see you!"

Chuckling to himself, Shane looked at Lily, "So are you all right? He didn't hurt you at all did he?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm all right. Thank you." The girl sighed, "I have to admit, this has all been pretty exciting, but I'm anxious to get home. Mother and Father will be very worried. But I think they'll be very proud of you. And they should be. You've proven to be a better man than I ever dreamed you could be." 

"Me too." 

Lily touched his arm, "I'm glad you came to save me. I'm glad it wasn't our father."

"Why's that?"

"I already knew what a great man father was, I needed to be shown how great _you_ are though. That's why I'm grateful that you came. I feel like I can be a better sister because of it."

"Well, you know, he made me come. I didn't want to."

"But you did come, and what's more, you didn't give up. You are so much stronger than I ever knew. I don't even feel good enough to stand beside you."

"Hey," he stroked her face, "I'm still the same as I ever was."

"It's not that…it's just that I've thought so many bad things about you, and now I'm just ashamed of it. I should have known better."

Her brother smiled, said softly, "Lily…let's go home…it's been so long since I've been home…"

Lily lifted her eyes, revealing that they were wet with tears, "Me too."

After that he helped her up onto the horse and climbed up after her, and before they rode away he looked down at his hand and the blue diamond there.

He supposed it would be there forever.

Three days later Shane rode in the festival parade with his father, waving and smiling at the cheering people. The banners were lifted high, confetti cascaded from the sky and the city was bright with color. Link rode beside him, beaming with pride. For the first time ever people were not chanting his name, but the name of his son. They had all heard from their Queen the deed the boy had done, and they were grateful and adoring. Shane was obviously a little shy about the reception, but Link could see that the commonplace fear was gone out of him like a candle blown out. There was a new sparkle about him, something strong and exuberant in his eyes, something fearless in his posture and the way he gripped the reins. There was a sword on his back and a dagger at his side. His eyes were alive with fire.

Link had never been more proud in his life as his son approached the Queen and was knighted by her own sword. When the boy turned around to face the roaring crowd his face was red with triumph, he lifted his red blade up to the sky and shouted in a loud, clear, young voice, "FOR WISDOM, FOR COURAGE, FOR POWER—FOR HYRULE!"

Afterward

Five years later Shane married Emla, the girl from Kakariko village and after another two years had passed his first son was born. He named him Vash. 

Six years after Shane defeated Argo'kashomen Lily married a boy from the royal court and became Lady Lily, a Lady-in-waiting for the Princess. 

Every year Shane rides out to the Gerudo Fortress to see Shade and they race across the sand, ride past the Temple of Theives and occasionally the place where they fought Kashomen together. Sometimes Lily goes with them. Others Shane goes completely alone and stands where he thinks Vash died. He likes to watch the sun rise from that very spot. He looks at the blue diamond on his hand and he remembers a quest that no one else will ever remember.

Shane was never the same after his quest. He was brave like he never had been before, and adventurous. He kept many of the things he acquired on the quest, including the Blade of Fire: he attempted to return it to Link the Goron, but his offer was refused and so he wrapped it up to protect it and keeps it in the attic. But every now and then he takes it from its protective layers and holds it up to the light and sees his reflection in it. And he smiles. And he says to himself, just as the Queen once said it, just as Link said it, just as the Gerudo King still says it and as Lily tells him and as Vash insisted it: "Shane, you are a hero."


End file.
